Mix
by scarlettHuntress
Summary: One measly misplaced mix cd brings together two boys in the cold hallways of ShinRa, and as their friendship strengthens so the lies Cloud wraps around him unravel. Can Zack save his friend from himself? We now have an actual plot! Light yaoi, light angst
1. Kebab

Mix

One: Kebab

"Come on, Strife, can we go already?" Whined the redheaded boy. His companion's backside was sticking out from under a bench while the rest of his body investigated something under there.

"Gimme a sec... someone's kicked something back here. I think it's a CD." Was his muffled reply. Reno sighed and, seizing Cloud's belt loops, pulled the blonde-haired boy from under the bench, ignoring the indignant yelps. Dropping Cloud on the floor, he snatched the object the boy had been holding up like a trophy after his departure from the Realm Under The Benches as mentioned boy sneezed violently and attempted to get the clumped dust balls out of his spiky hair. Unsuccessful in his attempts, he gave up and rose to stand next to Reno and also studied the object.

"Kebab Mix," he read aloud.

Reno gave him a disgruntled look. "So glad ya can read. Now, can we go? If we don't hurry they'll lock the showers... and then I will hold you fully responsible for us smelling like Harley's dirty socks." He tossed the disc to the side, much to the annoyance of his friend, and set off at a quick walk towards the changing rooms. Cloud rescued the intriguingly named 'Kebab Mix' and hurried to catch up with his friend.

"Reno... someone's probably lost this," He said pointedly.

"Great observation there. Either that or they just left it there because they didn't like it, Ne?" He grinned back.

"Renoo... We should return it."

Reno turned to face his companion, and then quickly turned back when he nearly walked into the wall. "How do you suggest we do that?"

"...put up a 'Lost' poster in the gym?"

"Uh... Cloud..."

"What?"

"Look... you've gotta stop being so damn _nice_, Ne? You make me feel so bad."

"...Sorry..."

"AAH! Stop it! Don't say sorry unless you've done something to apologize for!"

"Sorr- uh I mean... So why don't you want me to put up posters?"

Reno paused at the door to the change rooms which was blissfully unlocked. "I didn't want to break your little heart over the idea of not being able to do something nice for someone... but I'm pretty sure I saw some third-class kick it on floor forty-four's west hallway. So I really doubt you'll know a good place to put up posters."

"But Reno, why can't I just put up posters in a lot of the hallways? Like the west-forty-four hallway, where he left it."

Reno laid a hand gently on his companion's gravity-defying spikes. "Cloud, poor innocent Cloud. We're in the military here, not some high-school. You just can't put posters up in hallways, it's not done! They'll tell you off. And I never said they left the CD there, did I? I do so believe it has suffered the empty-can effect."

"Uh." Cloud stared at him blankly. "Empty can effect?"

The redhead sighed. "Okay. See a can lying on the side of the road. What do you do?"

"Put it in the bin?"

"NO! You _kick_ it."

"...Okay... so I kick it."

"Exactly. And so it's a few meters or kilometers away from where it sta-"

"Kilometers? Who's gonna kick a can along for a few K's?"

"...Look... I dunno, okay? So than someone else comes along, kicks it... and it goes further away!"

"Not necessarily."

"...what?"

"Suppose he or she came from the direction I went. Then he or she would kick it towards where it started."

"Cloud... just... no. Everyone's going your direction, okay?"

"Why?"

"I don't know... Concert in a park?"

"There are no parks in Midgar. Everything's dead." He replied, a tone of sadness in his voice. One has a tendency to miss nature when one has grown up in a mountain town.

"...A concert in Wall Market."

"Oh gods, who'd wanna go _there_?"

"Heheheheh."

"Apart from you, pervert. I mean, come on, the honeybee inn! Does anyone there have any morals? And then there's those cross-dres-"

"Cloud."

"Oh sorry... where were we? Can-kicking?"

"Yes. So the can gets kicked, and it moves further and further away from where it previously was. So it travels from sector 2 to sector 7."

"...kay."

"And, you see, no-one knows where the can came from, because it was there when they got there!"

"...kay."

"And so, to conclude, there is no feasible way to return this CD to its owner, as both owner and location of abandonment and or misposession of said CD is unclear!"

"... Reno? I have to say, it freaks me out when you talk like that."

"Soooo-ry. Now can we shower?"

"...kay."

"And, Strife, don't get _too_ upset."

This was met with silence.

"And don't go all silent like that. Sheesh, you're way too silent for your own good." Reno chided, slipping into one of the stalls. Cloud followed suit, and for the next ten minutes the two silently showered. Reno's voice eventually rose above the hissing noise of partly defect shower heads which mostly sprayed at a ninety-degree angle to the shower head instead of straight down like one would expect.

"Cloud... say something. Silence is too freaky."

"Um... sorry..."

"But not that."

"Uh, so- I mean..."

Reno sighed, and silence from the two ShinRa troops dominated for a good four minutes.

"Uh, Reno?"

"Yes?"

"Well, people stick posters on their room doors, right?"

"Damn right. Speaking of which, Miss April is getting a bit old. Mind if I replace her?"

"Reno, why do you insist on posters of smutty women on our door?"

"Is there any other type of woman?"

"RENO!"

"So, Strife, what were you going to ask?"

"...do you think I'd get in trouble for putting a 'Lost' Poster in the dorm hallways?"

"I guess not. I mean, no-one other than the people who sleep there go into the hall there. Why would anyone want to go near the rooms of sixty unwashed ShinRa recruits?"

"Well, high chances that the CD belongs to one of us, right?"

"Huh. Where's your logic there?"

"Well, we get paid far less than, say, a Third class, and we burn CDs to save on Gil."

"And since the Thirds are rolling in it, they would afford more than six copies -should their black little hearts desire it- of the album and so wouldn't bother burning it?"

"Something like that. Yeah."

"Good thinking, Cloud-O! Sure, if ya want post posters in our lowly little grunt hallway and the hallways of all the other lowly grunts."

"I wish you wouldn't call us that."

"It's true! We are lowly! Maybe if they realized how crazy were are going, like poor little Harley, they would do something. Hey Cloud, can you go spaz and smash a couple of beds like Harley did? Maybe then I'll get promoted, out of amazement that I survived two spastic roommates,"

"Oh _hell_,"

"Is that innocent little Cloudie Strife, swearing as dirtily as his innocent mouth could allow? Do tell why?" Reno enquired as he stepped out of his cubicle and waited for Cloud to follow suit. He was not disappointed, as the boy burst out and promptly started pacing back and forth on the plain cream tiles.

"Oh hell... Oh hell... When they finally dragged Harley off... It was when he had reached my desk... and he grabbed a buncha papers off my desk! And then they took him to medical... where they probably threw them out!" Reno watched with a vague interest as Cloud worked himself up over 'a buncha papers'.

"What was so important about those papers?"

"They are... they WERE... my notes for my essay! How the hell do I get better than five percent if I don't have my damn materials?"

"Ah, that essay we have to do for written? Don't know why they bother us with that shit. Does it really matter if we don't learn the history of ShinRa if we're good fighters?"

"RENO!"

"Whaaat?"

"I'm an AWFUL fighter! The only reason they haven't-"

"Booted your scrawny ass back to your isolated little hick town is because you're a regular little Einstein?"

"AAAAARGH! I HAVEN'T GOT ANY NOTES!"

"Shut up and let's go get dinner."

**Next chapter: Stuff happens! **

**But, really, I shouldn't have started this. My science partner wants me to finish my half of out essay draft by... Tomorrow? Ahh hell... She's a bit too uptight, damn thing isn't due for at least a week.**

**But I guess I should of worked on that or the fic I've been promising myself I'm going to finish the first chapter of for the past three months or play 'We Love Katamari' (Picked it up today! God it's freakily colourful) or something... but no, I write this. Ehh, this is what I get for having an overactive imagination and giving it plenty of time to wake up my muse. That and I find having characters engage in pointless conversations is really relaxing.**

**Another thing I'm going to add here for anyone that actually reads this is that I can't believe they're charging AUS$45 (Yes, I'm Australian.) for the Cloud & Sephiroth figurines! $45 for adjustable, molded CHUNKS OF PLASTIC! Naturally, I need both of them. And if whoever's there is STILL reading this, can someone please tell me anything about Before Crisis? Please? Like, are those Anime screenies of Cloud & co floating around off it? So is BC an Anime? Is it released in English in America yet?AAARGH SO CONFUSED!**

**So, um... If you like/hate/read/glanced at/other this fic, PLEASE R&R! Gods, really, I depend on reviews. **

**If it's more fun that way, try to guess who's CD it is. Revealed in next chapter! That is, if i don't spend the whole chapter having Reno and Cloud talk about random junk. Does anyone actually like reading conversations like that? Cos, seriously, i love them.**

**So, um. Yeah. Taa-taa! - Scarlett**


	2. Lost

Mix: Chapter 2: Lost

"Aww hell..." Sephiroth diligently ignored his roommate's loud complaint. One who shared a room with Zack learned to tune out his various outbursts. What he could not ignore, however, was the sharp tug on his hair that Zack administered a few minutes later. Inwardly smiling at the only person who would dare such an act, and for that reason the only person with a relationship something akin to friendship -as much as he was loath to admit it-, Sephiroth allowed his gaze to rest on both his spiky-haired companion and the large pile of miscellaneous items piled on aforementioned companion's bed alongside a bag that undoubtedly previously held said items, no matter how unbelievable this seemed when one considered the size of bag and objects. Zack was a very talented man when it came to obtaining and hoarding items.

"Seppppph..." The black haired SOLDIER with a grip on his silvery hair whined pitifully, and Sephiroth granted him one look, which was immediately and correctly translated into his cue to state his case for interrupting his time doing whatever the hell Sephiroth did when he sat down at his computer after work.

"You know that my cousin sends me those CD's every month or so, right?" He quickly started, lest his chance to talk was taken away. Not waiting for an answer, he continued: "I lost the latest one. I know it seems kinda dumb, but that CD does mean a lot to me... my parents weren't too happy about me coming here so he's the only one that regularly contacts me... Besides, I only listened to it three times!"

"What do you want me to do about it?" He quietly replied.

"Feel sorry for me, help me look for it or even do that freaky thing where you know where it is straight off?"

"I refuse the first and can't do the third, but my advice is to look where you last where and I'll walk through the floors to see if I can find it if you need me to,"

Zack's face flashed with a single second of his usual blindingly happy smile before his face slumped into the rarely-used depressed face. "I got a folder out of my backpack to review during lunch... I remember I got a lot of things out and I guess I overlooked it..."

"Go back to me-"

"Of course, that was two days ago."

"oh."

Both knew the slim chances of the CD having remained in the mess hall when one considered the fastidious cleaners and untrustworthy diners was completely abolished by the time that had passed.

"Seph? Can I take you up on that offer to help search for it?"

-

He had to admit defeat, Zack mentally admitted as he slumped against the wall at the entrance of some Shinra grunt dorm hallway. _I wonder if he'll send me another one,_ he thought numbly. Needless to say, Zack didn't like losing. He sat and considered his options, letting some grunts around the corner, in the adjacent corridor's conversation wash over him.

"...Recignise that number?"

"Isn't that the room that had that kid go nuts and break a bed before they carted him off?"

"Yep, that's it. The other two must be crazy as well, to do something like this."

_He had Sephiroth on the next twenty floors, looking for any sign of it..._

"I bet they are. That redhead, everyone say's he's being scouted by the TURKS, and his roomie is shit at fighting. Don't know why they let the kid into Shinra in the first place."

"It's cos he's a reeal brainiac. That kid can tell you the names of all the towns containing reactors, alphabetically. Doesn't stop him from getting beaten up every second week, though."

_He couldn't just burn a new one, he hadn't ripped it onto his computer yet..._

"Maybe that's given him brain damage. I mean, what's he trying to say here? Someone's lost a Kebab?"

"Who knows. Dude, can we just go?"

_He had no doubt that this CD had the best songs out of all the others his cousin had sent him..._

The sound of ripping could be heard, and the two boy's laughter gradually faded away as they made their way out of the corridor. He sunk his head into his hands and silently moped for a good five minutes, which coincidentally was the amount of time it took for the overheard conversation to sink into his brain.

_Lost... Kebab..._

In no time at all he was in front of the object of the boys's conversation, a plain sheet of paper taped to the wall. The word 'Found' was printed in a large font on the top, and under it was what was obviously a CD in plain black lines for those who were less thickheaded than the two previous people had been. The title of the CD, _his_ CD was written on the disc. The rest of the page sported a ragged edge borne from the boys's handiwork (Namely ripping contact details off), effectively removing any way for him to contact the finder of his CD.

_Well, Fuck._

**I am going somewhere with this fic, albeit slowly.**

**I believe I forgot the disclaimer. Well: DISCLAIMER: If FF7 was mine, all the guys except Barrett and all the fat ShinRa suits would be gay, Barrett would be busy impersonating Mr. T and Palmer and Co. would be DEAD. It is quite easy to see that I do not own it, or any other characters I may accidentally include in this or any chapter of this fic or any other fic I write.**

**So, um, I'm going to repeat my plea for reviews: only a little shorter.  
**

**Reviews are to me what shampoo undoubtedly is to Sephiroth, Cloud, Vincent, the SHM and any other 'Radically-hairstyled/Long haired' men.**


	3. Found

**Mix: Chapter Three: FOUND.**

"No!"

"Why not?"

"I said, no!"

"You didn't say WHY!"

"It's not mine!"

"You're babysitting it, in a sense. If you're babysitting, you don't just ignore the child, do you?"

"Reno, that's not a good argument,"

Reno slid the silver disc into the CD player. The whirring sound of the cheap machine was Cloud's cue to lob a ball of paper at the red haired boy's head.

"I said not to listen to it..." He growled in the tone of one that doesn't truly mind.

"Well, I am! Besides, wouldn't you enjoy listening to something stimulating while you work?" Reno replied, hitting play. A half-dead, half-robotic woman started singing about how much she wanted 'your soul'. Reno quickly pressed 'next'.

"...What was that?"

"I'm sure the next song will be better..."

Sure enough, a fast paced song came on, sung by a man with a voice that made his somewhat punkish songs sound more upbeat.

_Hey pretty face I'll spin you out of control  
we're gonna dance dance dance till the end of the show_

"Hey, this song's okay!" Reno announced happily.

_Slow dance take a chance with me  
Take off your pants with me_

"Urgh..." Cloud made a strange face at this line.

"Suck it up, strifey-boy. There are worse songs in the world."

They listened to some songs in silence, sans the sounds of Cloud's pen occasionally scratching at paper, and the music of course.

_Fell in love with the girl at the rock show _

_She said "what?" and I told her that I didn't know _

_She's so cool, gonna sneak in through her window _

_Everything's better when she's around _

_I can't wait til her parents go out of town _

_I fell in love with the girl at the rock show _

-

_I've got my finger on the trigger oh,  
Heartbeats are effervescent life,  
We sigh and sink into the river bed,  
Stay asleep._

Zack was slowly trundling along the well-worn carpet of the hallway, 'lost' poster scrunched in one hand when he heard a noise through one of the cadet rooms's thin walls.

_I know this song... where have I heard it?_

_My CD!_

Zack grinned widely._ Eureka_. Leaning against the cheap cream plasterboard, he listened for the next song that he knew would come...

_And I read about the afterlife,  
but I never really lived  
and I've read about the afterlife  
but I've never really lived_

_No doubt about it, this is my CD, _he mused in the lull created by the song's end. With the ceasing of the music, he could hear the voices of those in the room. Now standing in front of the door and prepared to knock at any moment, Zack listened in on his second conversation today. _Better not make it a habit._

"...Been two days. No-one's come for it?"

"Nope. It's sad..."

"Get **over it**, Strife. There are millions of people in this world; you can't look after each and every one of them. I swear, growing up in a town with a population of less than fifty has **really** affected your logic circuits."

"Circuits? I'm not a robot."

"Sometimes I think you are. So damn smart and all."

"...Right. Why hasn't the next track come on yet?"

"Hmm... well, it says it's playing..." A resounding 'THWACK!' sound reverberated around the area, quickly followed by a song, playing from around the middle of a track.

_Your face different now  
So much different than the rest  
I love girl God knows I love you  
But you know that I know best_

"That's better. It was the speakers, again."

"They're probably broken in the first place because you hit them all the time."

"No, they're broken because it's a cheap-ass system."

"...1967... Was that the year that ShinRa was founded?"

"No idea..."

"Shit. I **knew **this... I had it written down! Goddamnit, why's this happen to **me**?"

"Let me guess, spazzy has your notes?"

"Yeah, Harley took them with him"

"Well, my essay is a five-minute piece of trash, I'm no use. Sorry. Oh, and I have to go out now, okay?"

An annoyed half-sigh, half-growl could be heard.

"Woah there! You're not rabid, are you?"

"Harr Dee Harr. No, just annoyed. I missed the last assessment when the chucked me in therapy for the Harley incident. Goddamnit, I don't need therapy!"

"I don't know, you're pretty insane."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence."

"Nooo problem."

"...Didn't you have to go somewhere?"

"Trying ta get rid of me, Ne?"

"... You're very, very distracting."

"Are you trying to say I'm sexy?"

"NO."

"Aww come on, you can admit it!"

"Reno?"

"Hai?"

"Drop dead."

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful!"

"That's not why I hate you."

"I'm scarred, strife."

"Reno-"

"Cutting, strife, it cuts deep."

"Reno-"

"But as much as I would love to talk about my sexiness and your denial thereof, I must depart!"

"Finally."

"Oh strife, do you long for my departure?"

"I long for your departure from the Planet..."

"I'm going to cry, Strife, I'm going to cry."

"Reno."

"Mm?"

"Go away. I have an essay to write."

"Fiine."

The door slid open. Zack was greeted with the image of a scruffy redhead, while aforementioned redhead saw a crazy man with weird black spiky hair standing at his front door, one hand up in a 'knock' motion, and grinning like a loon.

"Uh, hi?"

-

**More conversation! I love writing it, so relaxing. And, I spotted a plothole which was: why is Reno Cloud's roomie? Wouldn't he recognize him? Uh, well, blame... Hojo.**

**Yeah.**

**It's all Hojo's fault. Let's just say he gets to experiment on Turks as well, if minorly, and erased all memory of Cloud from Reno's mind, or some other convoluted explanation, because I love Reno to death and really wanted him in my fic.**

**What else? ARRRGH EVERYWHERE IS SOLD OUT OF AC! Soooo unfair... and also... KH2 does not seem to be out yet **

**SONGS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: **

**All I know about the first song I mentioned is that it's probably called 'we want your soul'.**

**2. Slow dance by Unwritten law (my fave band:D)**

**3. The rock show, Blink 182**

**4. Breathe underwater by Emanuel**

**5. Saturday, fall out boy.**

**6. God knows I love you kid, Lorene drive.**


	4. Meeting, the First

**Mix- Part four- Meeting, the first**

"Uh... hey!" Reno blinked several times in the face of this stranger in his doorway, and it took him a second to compose himself.

"Hey... can I help you?" he asked.

"Actually, I'm looking for a lost CD of mine..." The newcomer held up half of what Reno recognized as one of Cloud's posters.

"Ahh, you own the CD Cloud found?" Reno grinned at the man when he found that he had a reason to be at his door, and then went on to say "Hang on, I'll get him..." He stuck his head in the room and hollered his roomate's name loudly, and was rewarded with a paper ball being thrown at his head and a voice shouting something about crazy note-stealers and annoying roommates. Reno offered an apologetic grin at Zack, and ran off after telling aforementioned man that he was free to go in and get the CD off Cloud.

Zack stared at the slightly open door, and then picked up the paper ball and un-scrunched it. Inside, neat lines formed tight and concise paragraphs regarding the history of ShinRa for about half the page, where it was abruptly halted with angry lines crossing out the last three lines. Abandoning the manuscript, he cautiously entered the room. Someone was sitting at a desk working furiously on something. As Zack approached he noticed the blonde at the work table had gravity-defying spikes not unlike his, only he had considerably less hair.

"Hey, I-" He started, only to be interrupted as the figure seated at the table jumped out of his seat and glared angrily at him, holding a metal ruler menacingly. "Reno I told you LEAVE ME AL- oh, you're not Reno."

"Uh." Zack said intelligently. This had to be the first time he had ever been threatened with a metal ruler. He could take down goddamned dragons, but this kid's eyes were burning with angry flames in the two or so seconds he had mistaken Zack as this 'Reno' guy, no doubt the red head from a few minutes past.

The blonde boy sheepishly lowered his makeshift weapon. "Errm... sorry about that. Can I, um, help you?"

Zack grinned at him and held up the poster. Cloud's eyes went from him to the paper several times before comprehension dawned. "Ooh, you own the cd!"

"Yeah. Thanks for picking it up for me..."

The blonde flushed slightly. "Errrm... my roommate kinda decided to listen to it... sorry..." he padded over to where a cheap slums-made radio sat, on different desk, this one far more messy than the one he had been working at. He popped the cd out and replaced it in it's case, and turned to hand it back to it's rightful owner. Who was nowhere to be found.

"Junon is famous for it's submarine port and underground reactor"

"GAH!" Cloud jumped away from Zack, who gave the boy and innocent expression.

"I'm sorry, did I scare you?"

"...It's... it's okay... you just startled me..." Cloud breathed whilst willing his heart to slow down. Goddamnit, that was scary! Just hearing a voice in his ear so suddenly...

"wait. What did you say?"

The stranger blinked at him with large violet eyes. "Junon. Submarine. I saw it on your desk."

Cloud's face could of split, and Zack wouldn't have been surprised if the boy issued a 'SQUEE!'. Instead he jumped up with his widest smile of the year plastered on his face, happily told Zack "I could HUG you!" and hurried over to his desk to record this piece of crucial information, leaving Zack to wonder why the blonde hadn't, then quickly recalled the several hundred people informing him that not everyone was as touchy-feely as him.

Zack strolled over to where the boy was writing furiously in his neat script. "Funny, I had you made out as the type of guy who'd have written notes..." he commented.

"I did... but for some reason my psychotic roommate decided to kidnap them..." he muttered in response, distracted. Not minding his 'host' not paying him full attention as long as he considered to be entertainment, Zack decided to continue the conversation. "that redhead kid? He didn't seem the type to do something that mean..."

"Naah not him. We had another, before. He went crazy..."

"Wow, that sounds interesting... oh by the way, the head of weapons is called Scarlet..."

"Thanks... I'm Cloud, by the way."

"Zack. Nice ta meet ya."

--

Roughly an hour later, Zack happily walked down random hallway #237, whistling contentedly.

He had made a new friend, spent a good hour conversing with new friend, and best of all, gotten his cd back! When he met up with Sephiroth and the man had asked him why he was so happy, he had told him so. When Sephiroth enquired to the whereabouts of oh-so-holy cd, Zack nearly tripped.

How the HELL had he managed to forget his cd?

Goddamnit.

**Yes, I am very bad at the 'update regularly' thing. I'm sorry to all who take the time to read this.**


	5. Chance Meeting

MIX Chapter 5

ScarlettHuntress- Karina Bowater

With a satisfied sigh, Cloud threw down his pen and stood. Bracing his hands on his desk and gently arching his back, he grinned to himself. All in all, this had been a good day. He had gotten the information needed to finish his damn assignment, and made a new friend on top of that. To think that this had all come from being nice and returning a lost CD...?!

He whirled around, to glare at the plastic disc safe inside the protective casing.

_What was the CD doing here? Hadn't Zack taken it? _

Cloud picked up the case, idly tapping it against his arm. Zack had left about three quarters of an hour ago. If he hadn't come back for it, then surely he hadn't noticed the disc he had been looking for wasn't with him? _So I should take it to him_, he mused, not really considering what he had said.

It hit a second later, sending Cloud to his knees. _NoNonono I'm not going to, I can't go out right now, it's six, they'd be let out of training right about now... _

He climbed shakily to his feet.

_I am not going to let some uppity third classes rule my life... I don't have to be scared of them... _

_Yes you do, _whispered the voice in his head, even as Cloud slipped on a jacket to guard against the chill of cement hallways and prepared to rush after the dark haired man.

Dark hoodie pulled over his head, hands tucked in the jacket's pouch Cloud rushed as fast as he could without running, weaving through the corridors of ShinRa like a worker bee in a hive. He scanned each hallway expertly, keeping an eye out for the familiar-as-of-today mop of black hair in the empty rooms. _Not here, not here, not- NO._

As quickly as he spotted the muscled up brunette standing with two others in the abandoned hallway Cloud made to leave as far as he came- faster if he could, but the man met his gaze, hazel eyes freezing blue, and the message was clear. _Not fast enough_, his eyes read.

"Zackary, how you managed to misplace an object less than an hour after you find it again?"

"I... I'm an idiot," Zack replied to his silver haired friend sadly.

"I find no reason to argue with you-"

"I don't know! I really don't know!" The black haired man moaned, head in hands. "I mean, I picked it up, I'm pretty sure I did pick it up, we were working on his project and stuff-"

"-You certainly act idiotic sometimes Zachary-" The General murmured, not really paying attention to his companion.

"-hey Seph are you even listening to me?"

"No."

"Then how did you hear that and reply?"

"Zack-sense. I have honed my skill of pre-empting your actions to a fine art."

"Handy!"

He whimpered as the final kick flung him into the wall. Had not Cloud's eyes been screwed up so tight, he would of no doubt been able to see the blurry outline of the stalking brunette striding off, and had he not been focusing on breathing properly he no doubt would have heard the brunette's snickered comment.

"Blonde pansy, what's a weakling like him even doing here?"

"Any kid who can't defend himself isn't worth it." _His cohort, lackey #1..._

"Pushover." _And the other one... But they're going now... Go away..._

And then Cloud sunk into the blissful black of unconciousness.

"Lalala looking for Cloudy..." Zack sang happily, half-skipping down the plain hallways, dragging Sephiroth along for the ride. The silver haired man had suggested they methodically work through the hallways near the blonde's room whilst heading there.

"Cloud?"

Zack grinned. "Yeeah, his name is Cloud. Weird, huh? It suits him, though..."

"So what's he look like, this friend of yours?" Sephiroth replied disinterestedly.

"Blonde hair, blue eyes, kinda skinny, shortish..."

"..."

"Eh?"

"Zack, we passed him."

"What, no we didn't!" He exclaimed. "We would have seen him!"

"Trust me..."

"Eh, okay...? So where?"

"Down two, right," was his monotonic answer, and Zack took off at a run at his words, leaving the General wondering how he would react to see a new friend of his in such a condition..."

**Okay look. I haven't really got anything to say -re: my horrible four month abandonment of this fic- apart from the fact that I was thinking about writing the new chapter a lot of the time, only I have motivation issues. However, I'd like to thank DemonSurfer, AnimeGirl10 and 'specially ZombieDuke (My only regular reviewer ) for bothering to read this crap. Yourbeautifulnightmare, you don't count. Loozag. **


	6. Keyword INFIRMARY!

Chapter SIX of MIX

"Cloud?" Zack skidded around the bend to see the blonde slumped against the wall. He kneeled next to Cloud and lifted the boy's head up gently. Newly formed bruises marred the blonde's face.

"...Got in a fight, did ya?" Zack stopped for a second and pondered that. _Why would a seemingly sweet kid run out and get into a fight? ...Did he have a choice, or did the fight come to him?_

Blue eyes cracked open slightly. "Zzck?"

"Hey kid," Zack ran his hand through Cloud's hair comfortingly. "Let's get you down to the infirmary..." He stood and pulled Cloud up too, noting the way the blonde's shirt rode up to expose bruises on his stomach. He took the boy into his arms bridal style, not noticing an object falling out of the hoodie's pocket until he heard the brittle CD case splintering on impact with the hard floor.

Zack spared the CD one glance before taking off at a fast walk with the blonde securely in his arms.

O-o-O-o-O

Reno narrowed his eyes as a vaguely-familiar bulky brunette man strode past him flanked by two other men. _Well, didn't he look happy_, he thought with a scowl. Reno's thoughts flashed to Cloud, _But he was in our room, isn't he? _A quick check in their dorm and the note from Cloud proved this wrong.

_Infirmary, then._

O-o-O-o-O

Arriving at the part of the complex he had directed Zack to, Sephiroth retrieved the cracked orange case with the intact CD inside, and headed to where he suspected Zack had taken his injured friend. Which, naturally (and predictably) was the infirmary.

O-o-O-o-O

"So, he'll be alright?" The nurse smiled at his worried tone and handed him a glass of water with a slight green tint to it.

"He'll be fine. Here, you can stay with him until we release him in an hour or so, but only if you convince him to drink this," He flashed her a radiant smile and took the cup, bouncing off to where the blonde had been situated.

Cloud lay in the only used bed in the whole facility, and was having a soft conversation with another nurse, who was checking something under the black studded cuffs on both his wrists when Zack reached them. The second nurse nodded at Zack before hurrying off to converse with the first.

"Hey Cloudy..." He said softly. The blonde looked at him blearily.

"Cloudy? Huh?"

Zack grinned. "You needed a nickname. Don't ever say Zack doesn't deliverrrr!" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Cloud reddened and looked away. "...Whatever."

"Heh. Anyway, the nurse said you had to drink this," He held out the cup.

Cloud took it gingerly. "Of course..." He muttered, downing the whole thing.

"So, kid," Zack leaned over the bed slightly. "Got into a fight?"

Cloud flinched slightly. "I... It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

The older man poked a fading bruise on the other's cheek. "That's not nothing, Cloud. Far from it. Now, is there something you want to tell me?"

Cloud looked away, scowling into the distance. "Why should I tell you?"

"Cos we're friends!"

This caused him to look at Zack again. "Friends? But we only met today...!"

"Soo? Me. You. Friends! Comprende?" Zack growled jokingly, poking the blonde again.

"Friends..." He murmured.

"Yeah! And that's why you're going to hang out with me tomorrow!" Zack grinned happily.

"Wait, what? Do I get a say in this at all?"

"Let me think..." The black haired man stroked an imaginary beard. "No!"

"Not at a-"

"CLOUD!" They both turned to the direction of the shout where a frazzled redhead was pushing past nurse 1 and 2 to reach the blonde's bed.

"...Reno!" Cloud exclaimed.

"Cloud, are you fine?"

"Yea I-"

"Just answer the damn question!"

"I'm unhurt!"

"Liar," Zack butted in.

Reno looked from him to Cloud, then back again. "You're the guy from this morning?"

"Yeah!" The older man grinned. "I'm his newest friend!"

"Friend...?" Reno questioned Cloud, who nodded slightly.

"But you're fine?"

"I am. I'm fine."

Reno smiled gently at him. "That's good. But ya know," He leaned in close.

"You should FUCKING KNOW BETTER, Blondie! You KNOW what time they come, You do! Why risk it, ne?" He exhaled slightly before standing upright again.

"Reno I."

"Yeah?"

"Reno, I don't have an explanation."

The redhead smirked, then left.

Zack looked from where Reno had departed to Cloud, confused at the past minute or so.

Cloud, noticing his glance, smiled. "Reno and I... we understand eachother. Incidentally, our understanding is hard to explain."

"Suure spikey. Sure." Zack sighed.

O-o-O-o-O

**See this? It's an update, before the New Year! Yay woo fun! Oh yeah. This chapter is specially dedicated to ****Kazuhiko****! Cos she rocks. And I love my other reviewers, too. I'll try and get the next chapter out by February, which depends on time, muse and drive to write. That third one, and writer's block, is the reason this chapter isn't double this size and a month earlier.**

**Merry Christmas! Or, if you don't celebrate Christmas, happy new year!**

**Love youuu... Fyre (Aka. Scarletthuntress, Aka Karina)**


	7. Teh NOTE

MiX ChApTER thE SevENTH

Disclaimer: The usual. I mean, If I owned Cloud & Co, I'd be doing this- (Licks Cloud figurine) Mm plastic!

With a cry of 'Cloud!' Zack burst into the dorm room, Pirouetted on one foot and raised both arms before flinging himself at the blonde watching from his bed with a bemused expression.

Cloud pushed him away with a mutter of 'personal space, please,' and set his book down, then crossed his arms.

"So, Zack. What are you doing here, exactly?"

Zack lightly bopped his head with a hand. "I told you yesterday, remember silly? I said, 'spend tomorrow with me!'!"

Cloud frowned. "I don't think you said that, exactly..."

"So I ad-libbed-"

"You mean paraphrased."

"Parawha?"

Cloud snorted softly and turned away. Pretending to take offence, Zack rubbed the other's head, ignoring the blonde's cries of 'Ey! Stop that!"

Zack grinned widely at him, whilst Cloud wondered about the older man's seeming obsession with touching his head. "Fancy words or no fancy words, you're going out with me today and that's final!"

Cloud grinned slyly. "You are such a pedophile!".

Zack hit him again.

* * *

An hour later, Reno entered the dorm and found it devoid of any human life, but there was a note on his bed from Cloud, informing him that he had gone into the slums with Zack.

He smiled slightly. As long as Cloud doesn't get hurt, he didn't mind this friendship of his with the SOLDIER. Maybe Zack could even help his friend...

* * *

Cloud found himself in a very precarious situation. He was being dragged down a busy street in the worst city on the face of the earth by a rabid monster.

Said monster turned and grinned at him. "Come, on, Cloudy!"

"Zaack," Cloud complained. "You're hurting my wrist!"

Zack screeched to a stop and raised the offending hand into the air, then smacked it with his other hand as Cloud watched questioningly. "Bad hand!" he admonished the appendage before taking Cloud's wrist and kissing it lightly before the blonde regained his wits and snatched his hand back.

"_Don't do that_!"

Zack poked his tongue out at Cloud. "Whatever, Cloudie. Anyways, there's a café around here I want you to go to,".

Cloud looked skeptically around him at the dirty brick walls of falling down shacks. "A café?"

"Yeah! It's a really nice one, too."

"Here? Whatever."

"You'll seeee..." Zack dragged him along impatiently.

**Hokay, so I update for never and then give you this junk. I am really sorry, to my one and only regular reviewer. The rest of you guys make me unhappy... But I've had a massive writer's block lately...**


	8. Of falling down and Butts

This is chapter eight of mix, brought to you by the power of writer's block (thus horrible clunky chapter I can not fix. I'm going to go cry, now.) . I own nothing.

Cloud slid out of his chair and obediently followed the black-haired man out of the café. Zack turned to him with a giant grin plastered on his face.

"Good restraunt or what! What did I tell you, eh Cloud?"

The blonde tapped his bottom lip appraisingly. "I have to admit, it was pretty good- for _Midgar_ food."

"What, and the food in your hometown is true cuisine, is it?" Zack growled jokingly, glad to see his new friend being more social and outgoing.

This was quickly changed as Cloud visibly stiffened at the mention of his hometown. Taking note of this, Zack quickly dug for a new subject using the patented ZackRandomness ™ Manuever.

"The birds, and the BEES!" He all but shouted.

"Uh Zack, what?" Cloud inquired, shying away from the scary, crazy man.

"Well, ya know. The birds and the bees. The act of sex, and babies and stuff. Where's the connection?"

"...Between birds and bees?"

"NooOo Cloud, Birds and bees, as one, and sex!"

"Bees don't have sex, do they? They lay eggs... well, the queen bee does." Cloud murmured, a bit taken aback by where their conversation was going.

"Exactly! How is that related to sex?" Zack asked, dramatically turning his hands up to the heavens (or where about the sky would be above the giant metal disc that was this sector's roof) as if to ask the Gods for an answer.

"Well, I guess the bird taking pollen from a flower is a metaphor for sex..."

"What, so the bird's beak is a phallic representation? Naah Cloud, that's too plain. Too boring. Birds are... gay men!" The hedgehog-headed man cried out, raising two arms in victory.

"Gay men?" Cloud tilted his head inquiringly, whilst adjusting the black cuffs adorning his wrists.

"Yeah. The birds and bees are both gay!"

"...And the flowers?"

"And the flowers."

"But don't," The blonde interjected "People call women birds?"

"Hmm..." Zack 'hmm'd. "So birds are lesbian gay men?"

"...Straight men, then?"

"Right then! So then, what would bees be?"

"Zack," Cloud sighed, "This is very, very stupid."

"Exactly!" The older man grinned. Which is why we're going to talk this over until we get _every_ detail sorted out!"

"_Zaack...!"_

THIS IS A SCENECHANGE, PEOPLES!+

Sephiroth stared at the CD case taking up residence on his coffee table. After Zack had brushed him off outside of the infirmary he had taken the thing back to his room, where it sat on the dark brown mahogany table. Every time he walked past it, he was reminded that Zack had made a new friend, and that was why the man was not in his apartment now, annoying the hell out of him.

Of course, Sephiroth didn't want Zack here, because the dark haired man was annoying, wasn't he?

And The General Sephiroth of SHINRA doesn't need company.

Noone at all.

Sephiroth took a sip of his tea. The slight slurping noise was the only noise in the room.

He sighed.

_I wonder if Zack could share his new friend?_

CHANGE OF THE SCENE, YO.+

"So, I hope you're going to put up with me tomorrow, too!" Zack said, grinning at cCloud when they were back inside the SHINRA building.

"Zack," The younger sipike-haired boy sighed, "I spent today talking to you about beastality and animal sex. You really thing I'm going to give up my _entire_ weekrnd up to that?"

"YEAH! Or something like that. Seeya tomorrow, blondie." He ruffled the gold-tinted spikes affectionately.

"Right. Bye Zack." He touched the older man's arm once in acknowledgement and then went around the corner.

Zack grinned at the blonde's retreating back, and took a moment to consider his new friend and of course enjoy the ambience provided by concrete corridors and painfully bright haolegen lights.

He was just wondering over Cloud's apparent dislike of his hometown when he was interrupted by a 'thud'ding noise from around the corner cloud had waked around.

Thinking the blonde has tripped, he followed the noise and in a few quick, easy strides found himself infront of Cloud, who was lying stomach down on the cold floor and ringed by three bulky SOLDIERS, the type that filled the stereotypical 'all brawn no brain' category.

Zack raised his eyebrow imploringly at a brunette with his foot on Cloud's back. The man gave him a shocked, lost look and kept staring until a dark man reached out and tugged him off a Terrified Cloud's back.

As the brunette backed off weakly, a stocky blonde pulled Cloud up and roughly dusted him off.

"Kid fell over, we were just helping 'im up," He explained in a rough voice after a moment's consideration, and then thudded off with the other two.

Zack looked from the retreating men to Cloud's ash white face.

"Kid, if you 'just fell over' then I'm a moogle," He said, resting a soft hand on Cloud's shoulders.

Cloud pulled away and averted his gaze.

"I was just,… yeah thanks Zack." He muttered, sounding resigned and almost sarcastic.

Zack made a halfhearted grab for the blonde as he made to walk off.

"But Cloud… Tomorrow. Right?"

"Nah, Zack." He said softly, retreating into the cold cement maze.

MORE PAGE BREAKS? WHERE ARE WE GETTING THESE THINGS? ARE THEY ON SALE?+

"Seems like blondie got himself a bodyguard…" The brunette sneered, lighting up a cigarette.

"We'll get him later, don't you worry," The blonde man replied, turning to the third member of the trio with a grin. "We will, won't we Shanks?"

The dark skinned man nodded with a slight smile, polishing his already-gleaming stiletto blades.

END CHAPTER 8EIGHT8 

**_A/N: When Cloudie and Zackie were talking all sex and stuff, I nearly wrote 'art of sex'. Well, it would have had the same effect either way :D and really, I don't know where all that talking came from, but it seemed Zack-like enough to make him say it._**

**_And ZackRandomness ™ can be purchased for just Schifty-five payments of 666 Gil! Be like Zack! Be Random! Be ZackRandom!_**

_**(Brought to you by the FFYAOI foundation)**_

_**Ahh yes, yaoi. Is everyone fine with yaoi in this fic? Do you guys want yaoi? Just leave a note in your reviews (Which you are all going to write, since you are good little reviewers)**_

**_But I'd like to thank ALLLLL my ASSKICKING reviewers so far! Because you guys really make my day :D. And since you do, and since _Golden Warrior12** **_ wants Cloud to look at Reno's ass, it shall be.(If anyone else asks for little skits I'll write them too :D)_**

_**+THIS (SEE DOWN) IS A BONUS!+**_

Cloud: Hey Reno, what are you reading?

Reno: _Mix_'s reviews. Some crazy lady thinks you've been staring at my butt.

Cloud: (Guiltily)_ nooOOoo_, I wouldn't do that….

Reno: You HAVE!

Cloud: Well, it is very …nice looking, Reno.

Reno: Okay then, I forgive you. After all, it is a pretty damn sexy ass if I say so myself…

Cloud: Uhhuh yeah Reno.

Reno: You can touch it.

Cloud:… Whaa?

Reno: TOUCH IT.

Cloud: …NO!

Reno: IT IMPLORES YOU TO!

Cloud touches Reno's ass

Zack walks in

Zack: ….Huh?

Reno: Doesn't it feel nice, Cloud? So smooth, and firm?

Zack: I prefer Cloud's ass. I'm looking at it aaaaaaall the time.

Cloud: YOU'RE WHAT! OMGWTFBBQ!!!!ONE!!!!SIXTEEN!

Sephiroth walks in, stark naked

Sephiroth:What's the screaming about?

Reno: ..I concede defeat. Sephiroth's ass is far better than mine.

Zack: Yeah man, nice ass. So why are you naked?

Sephiroth: Scarletthuntress stole my towel...

Scarletthuntress: Yeah, and if you think it's bad now, wait till we get post-game and Vinnie gets to play!

Cloud: Ohgawds. Can someone restrain her?

_**Well, that was therapeutic :D**_


	9. Let's play 'Name the Goons'

Mix 9

Cloud ran one hand through his hair, sighing. "This is," he wailed despairingly "A really, really bad thing."

"Well, yeah Cloud… but as long as we stay safe for the next while we'll be fine." The Turk-in-training told him, soft-spoken for once. Even Reno's arrogant attitude quavered at the unspoken threat the three SOLDIERs posed to his blonde friend.

"I… I'm really sorry, Reno." Cloud whispered, curling up into himself on top of his bedcovers. Reno walked over to him and laid a hand comfortingly on Cloud's back.

"It's not your fault. They're a force of nature, like a hurricane. We just have to barricade ourselves against the storm, and wait it out…"

Cloud tried to laugh, but it turned to strangled sobs and all Reno could do was rub his back comfortingly.

PAGEBREAKCURTOSEYOFTHESOULSOFBABIES+

Sephiroth's head snapped up from the _terribly_ interesting report of Junon's weather that had somehow ended up on his desk, as the black-haired SOLDIER entered the room.

"Zack." He acknowledged the man's presence and braced for the impact. When nothing exploded, hit him or made noise, he opened his eyes slightly. "Zack…?"

The SOLDIER sighed softly, and sank into one of the plush guest chairs. "I… it's that new friend of mine, Cloud, I'm really worried about him, Seph…"

Refraining from reprimanding the man for calling him by that demeaning nickname, Sephiroth instead pulled the clear plastic case out of the drawer he had put it in this morning, and wordlessly held it out to his second-in-command.

Zack looked at it sharply, and then took it, with a grateful murmur.

"I didn't realize you held onto it for me, not really. Thanks… it wasn't even on my mind when we found Cloud."

"But you were with him today, weren't you?"

"Yeah… eh Seph, can you help me with something?"

Zack walked past his superior and took a seat in the man's computer chair. Scooting over to the PC, he fired it up.

"What are you looking for?" Sephiroth inquired, moving to stand behind him.

"I mentioned Cloud, didn't I? He's being bullied, and I want to stop it, naturally."

"Cloud… he's your new friend, isn't he?"

Zack looked up at him, sensing the underlying emotion in the cold man's words. "Are you afraid I won't be your friend any more?"

Sephiroth made a slight nodding motion.

"Seph, that's not how friendship works. Cloud's my new buddy, yes, but I'll always be there for you… whether you like it or not!" With a wicked grin, he turned back to the computer.

"Yes, I am afraid I don't understand the concept of friendship…"

"Yeah, I'll teach ya, don't worry! And Cloudie can be your new friend, too!"

"…Cloudie?"

Zack smiled, almost sweetly yet it seemed feral. "My Cloudy and my Sephy… Hahaha…"

Sephiroth lightly bopped him on the head. "You're an idiot, Zackary. Now, what were you searching for?"

"There were three of them. All three were really bulky… Uh.." Zack stalled, trying to recall their appearances. "A brunette, a guy with this really dirty blonde hair and a black man. Can we search SOLDIERs by appearance?"

Sephiroth shook his head. "No, but they sound familiar…"

Taking control of the computer from Zack, he opened up the ShinRa system's recent reports. He scrolled down the list of in-ShinRa offences and...

"Aha!" Zack bounced happily in the chair, causing a half amused, half annoyed look from his superior.

"See, third class Sean 'Shanks' Valrike was reported last week for attempting to knife up his instructor after being lectured for his pistol handling. It says he was continually turning it 'gangta style' ...though I'm not sure what that means. Do you... do you want me to call him up to my office and detain him?" Sephiroth finished, sounding slightly nervous.

Zack looked up from where he was tilting his imaginary gun and shooting the far wall, and grinned. "If you could, Seph, that would be so awesome! I'll just go down to Cloud's apartment, tell him and see if he knows the other dude's names. That fine?"

"Fine, Zack."

The younger man gave him a genuinely thankful smile, then grabbed the plastic case and jogged out of the apartment.

Sephiroth looked at the closed door, then turned back to the computer and sent a message down to the main office where the intercom system was manned.

Well, he reflected, Zack was acting as if he still wanted to be his friend.

Sephiroth, sitting on the comfy computer chair, reflected on the skills he had in fighting and killing, and the skills he had never had in socializing.

PAGE BREAK(CLOUDISSEXY)+

Because really, Zack mused, running down the corridor, growing up acting as if each friendship was as fragile as eggshells and soured quickly was not a good way to live.

PAGEBREAK WORSHIP MEE+

"_Sean Valrike summoned to General Sephiroth's office"_

The man known as Shanks glanced at his friends. The blonde, Tyler, languidly flicked a cigarette out of his fingers and onto the dirty cement floor. He shrugged slightly.

"Might as well go, if it's about officer dickweed then they can't prove a thing."

The brunette nodded and then frowned. "But weren't we gonna bash up that blonde fuck?"

Tyler bared his teeth menacingly. "Shanks won't mind if we deal with him ourselves, Needle. Will you, Shanks?"

Shanks shifted on the spot, in obvious dislike of the suggestion he wouldn't get to beat up the boy. Needle grinned at him. "How about I give you the whetstone I stole? Good quality too."

And they had a deal.

CHAPTERNINEEND+

**Okay yes, you people can kill me for such a short chapter. But I'm in my second last year of high school, and it's KEELING MEE.**

**However, things are happening! WOW!**

**But, I do love all you reviewers, and all reviews are loved :D. See you next chapter!3**

**Extra love for my beta Kazuhiko, whom must hate me for ignoring all her changes and only taking up one of my suggestions :D. (Aww yeah, I can spell your name now :D)**

**Other Mix related info: Mix post-game will be a sequel, intelligently named REMIX. Can anyone see a theme here? There are going to be yaoi themes, and the next chapter will be angsty.**


	10. The sink is a secondary character now

**MIX CHAPTER 10 (Finally.)**

**WARNING: **This chapter contains Angst and Emoness.

"Cloud," whimpered the redhead, as he ran his hand down the rough texture of the cheap chipboard bathroom door. Apart from the bruise on his cheek where he had been flung across the room not five minutes ago, he was unharmed. He couldn't say the same for his friend, though. Reno slumped to the ground and looked upwards in lament. _Where was Zack? He was supposed to protect Cloud!_

GAWD FFXII IS FUN. PLAY IT.+

Zack was at the moment sprinting down the cadet hallways at full tilt, knocking over cadets like bowling pins. He screeched to a halt in front of the door decorated with the ragged porno poster and burst into the room.

Reno looked up at him, a blank look in his eyes.

"Oh, hello Zack. Are you looking for Cloud?"

Zack nodded hesitantly. "Uh... yeah. I came to check if he was okay..."

"He's not taking guests at the moment," the redhead muttered, and Zack looked around the room blankly before realizing Reno meant Cloud was hiding behind the very door the teen was leaning on.

"Cloud's in the bathroom? Is he on the toilet...?" Zack asked hesitantly, feeling cold inside as a strange smile slid across the redhead's face.

"Heh. That's funny."

"Reno...?" Zack leaned down and looked him in the face. "What's wrong...? What's wrong with Cloud?"

Reno suddenly lunged at him and held him close. "You... you're his friend, Zack. You're a SOLDIER! Why weren't you here?" he breathed into the man's ear in a strangled voice, "You... you were too late. You can't protect him from _himself_, you know."

"Protect him from himse..." Zack's breath caught in his throat. Shrugging Reno off onto a nearby bed, Zack leaned himself bodily against the door. He could hear only silence.

"Cloud?"

There was no response.

"Cloud?" Zack whispered again. "Cloud, I just want to talk to you. Could you please let me in?"

"Zack...?" Cloud murmured through the door, and the lost tone of his voice scared the man.

"Cloud, can I come in?"

"The door isn't locked..." The blonde replied listlessly. Zack turned the handle cautiously, and slid inside the room as much as he could before he saw his friend.

What he saw however, made him stop in his tracks.

Cloud was huddled on the once-white bath mat, now blotted with deep red patches as was his thin tank top and pale skin. One hand clutched a razor. He looked up at Zack with piercing blue eyes.

"Oh he-" He hiccupped, and then smiled. "H-hi Zack. I'm sorry, I normally clean up af-after myself," Zack watched with a morbid interest, frozen to the spot, as Cloud's thin wrist - marked with thin lines under today's, that he now saw were normally hidden by the huge cuffs- strained on the snow-white porcelain of the sink to lift his body. Mesmerized for just a moment by the grotesque beauty of the red stains on the white sink, Zack reacted just in time to catch the blonde as his strength gave out and he fell.

Hanging off Zack in a sick parody of Reno's earlier embrace, the older man could now feel the hairline shivers wracking the blonde's body. He whipped off his coat without a moment's thought and bundled Cloud up into it, rushing the boy back into the other room.

Reno had gotten a first aid kit out from _somewhere_, and quickly wrapped the bleeding appendages with an almost surgical precision.

Zack then nudged the limp blonde back into his arms and wrapped them comfortingly around the frail body.

"Cloud... why?" He whispered, and was surprised when he got an answer.

"They're right," Cloud told him softly. "They're always right. I'm weak. I'm nothing. I'm a weak, nothing, useless, good for nothing and I'm never going to be worth _anything_!" Cloud's body convulsed with sobs, and he clung tighter.

Zack's horrified eyes met Reno's sad ones. The redhead had obviously known Cloud did this to himself, that Cloud had reasons to do this to himself, but he had kept it a secret. Why?

But Zack would wonder about that later. What he was worried about was what Reno's eyes were saying to him. The message was clear.

_It's not normally this bad._

YOU CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC! NOBODY CAN STOP THE MUSIC!+

Zack glanced down at the sleeping blonde bundle in his arms, sighed, and then looked up at Reno again.

"Okay kid, you wanna explain why he just tried to off himself?"

Reno flinched at his words. "No," he murmured, "He's not trying to kill himself."

"Then?"

"He just wants to hurt, I think... to feel that hurt."

Zack blinked, bewildered. "Why would he want to hurt...?"

Reno snarled. "Of course _you_ wouldn't understand! You're a SOLDIER, a shining beacon of perfection that the rest of us only _wish _we could achieve! The rest of us don't have it so easy, you know!"

The older man was silent, and so he continued.

"Cloud's weaker than the other cadets. He's smart, and he's got funky looking hair. Those three thugs have been picking on him for a while, just roughing him up every now and then and making his life … not a living hell, but something close. He has self esteem issues, and I'm pretty sure something happened to him when he was back in Nibel. I..." Reno looked away. "I've never done anything because I thought that'd make him feel even worse about himself, that he couldn't protect himself."

Zack sighed again, and comfortingly rubbed Cloud's back. After they had bandaged up the hysterical blonde, he had clung to Zack and sobbed lightly until he fell asleep.

"Well," he finally said. "It might sound like I'm brown-nosing here, but I _do_ want to make Cloud feel better. Reno," he extended his hand to the redhead, "Help me?"

Reno stared at him. "Why do you care, Zack? You're a SOLDIER. You're second only to Sephiroth, for Planet's sake! Why do you care about a lowly cadet?"

"I don't know," Zack admitted. "I just kinda... do. It's not like some spiritual force guiding me or anything. I just want to do it... for him. Cloud's my friend now, so I have to care for him."

Reno frowned at him, but placed his hand over the older man's nonetheless.

"So we have an agreement?" Zack grinned up at him.

Reno took a seat on the cheap bed. "On one condition," he frowned. "Promise me you _won't _make up stupid codenames for us."

Zack frowned. "Aww… for real? You suck!"

IN A CAR, UNDERWATER, WITH TIME TO KILL+

Sephiroth glanced at the clipboard he had commandeered from his secretary's desk. "Sean Valrike?" he addressed the surly man.

The man known as Shanks to his friends nodded once.

"I was wondering if you could help me with the details of the incident last week involving instructor Brandsworth?"

The dark man glanced up at him in shock, and then quickly his eyes flitted down again.

"Mr. Valrike?" Sephiroth prompted, slightly enjoying himself.

"I don't know nothin'," the man grunted.

Sephiroth allowed a feral grin to grace his face for a split second, and then leaned closer to the man. "I don't know if you're aware of it, Mr. Valrike, but here at Shinra we pride ourselves on presentation. Being eloquent in both speech and battle is something we encourage. 'Don't know nothin' is a double-negative. Therefore you just said that you _do _know something. It's wonderful that Shinra has such well-educated men employed! After all, you wouldn't want to let down our high standards and risk removal from the SOLDIER program, would yo-"

Valrike's fist only _touched_ Sephiroth's cheek before the General slammed a black clad leg into the younger man's stomach, sending him crunching into the wall. As the two guards rushed into the room, Sephiroth gestured towards the man now groaning loudly. "Mr Valrike here just attempted to punch me," he told them stonily. "I believe that is quite an offence? Arrest him."

Sephiroth walked away with a spring in his step. _That was very entertaining. I do hope Zack requires me to deal with the other two this way..._

HER BOYFRIEND, HE DON'T KNOW, ANYTHING, ABOUT HER+

**Aand that's chapter ten. Whoo! Ten chapters of boringness. But !!!! GIANT shout-out to Kazuhiko, who helped me INCREDIBLY with the first part of this chapter (Which I am AMAZINGLY happy with). Oh, and she betas. So thank her for the lack of mistakes in this chapter :D:D:D.**

**And yeah, I went a while without updating, again, didn't I? eyetwitch I is… bad at on-time updating thing. I can't do it :D. And I've got a lot of schoolwork to wade through (Just failed a maths test- by two marks :(. But I got 70 percent on my English Literature assignment! I thought I did better though…) So yeah, don't expect updates anything less than monthly, at the best :D.**

**To all my other ass-kicking reviewers, they get Anzac cookies and rib-cracking glomps!**

**NOW REVIEW! The purple button implores you!**


	11. Chilaxin'

MIX- The eleventh Chapter.

Zack shifted sleepily, one hand planted firmly on Cloud's back so that the smaller boy's body wouldn't slip right off where it was now, lying atop the older man's. He was sleeping soundly, Zack saw. He had talked to Sephiroth- more like whined slash groveled to Sephiroth- to get the two of them a week off duties, and class for Cloud. The blonde just needed some time to recuperate, or sleep, as he had been doing. It was two days into their holiday, and Zack had spent most of the time just relaxing like this.

Looking down at Cloud's face, Zack let out a light sigh. He didn't think it was the bullying that had made the boy such a wreck, but there was no doubt it was a factor. He was fairly certain whatever it was that plagued Cloud, it had something to do with his hometown.

Idly, Zack kneaded the blonde's shoulders. He, when he first met Cloud, had thought he was a very weak-looking feminine boy, but that was an easy assumption to make when meeting the boy. Cloud had a very effeminate face and delicate features. He was short and thin, but Zack could feel developing muscles on his thin but strong frame. Cloud, he expected, would probably excel if he used light weapons and employed his slight frame to his advantage. Not that he had seen Cloud use a weapon, but Zack hoped to one day.

Zack's eyes blurred as he let them fall closed again. He hoped Cloud would want to do something_ active_ soon, because surely both of them had had enough laziness for the next year!

Just as he was about to drift back to sleep, something shifted on his chest. He jerked upright frantically, sending Cloud off the end of the bed with a strangled 'aargh!'

"Cloud-dya-wanna-do-something-fun-now-time-to-get-up-and-be-active-and-whee!-and-stuff- and where'd ya go?" He leaned over the bed, to see where the boy had tumbled down. "Cloud, why were you undoing your bandages?"

"Don't give me that look," The blonde groused. "My wrist is itchy. And the bandages _catch_!"

"C'mere then," Zack told him, gesturing that he should get back on the bed. Once Cloud had, Zack took his left wrist and scratched gently with his stubby fingernails, avoiding the scabbed wound.

"Mmm..." Cloud sighed contentedly, happily leaning against his dark-haired friend. Encouraged, Zack scratched a little harder, and then quickly closed his eyes and willed his mind to stop trying to insert the pleased little moan the blonde gave off into another, far less innocent scenario.

"Hey Cloud," He said suddenly, jerking the blonde and him into a sitting position. "Would you spar with me? Please?"

"I... You'll laugh at me." he whispered.

"I won't. I promise."

It was true. He wouldn't consider laughing even the littlest bit. Cloud was standing across from him, standard issue sword in his hands. They had only been going at it for about ten minutes, and Zack was impressed. Cloud had, if not the skills, the ability to learn fast and the determination to. It was obvious to the SOLDIER that Cloud is being neglected in his class so that the instructor could focus on the more brawny boys. He made a mental note to talk to Seph about that, but for now he was busy forcing Cloud into the defensive with a flurry of blows- all of which Cloud managed to block, albeit a little awkwardly. Luckily for him, Zack _was_ holding back, and both knew it. It didn't seem to make Cloud bitter or unhappy to know that he would not stand a chance against an extremely talented and scientifically enhanced opponent. He instead held his own with a look of fierce determination and concentration on his face, and Zack thought it suited him as much as the blonde's sweet half-smile did.

Zack was impressed, and that was saying something. He certainly wouldn't laugh at Cloud, and he doubted Sephiroth would either when he '_borrowed'_ this footage from the security room (and why did almost every room in this stupid building need to be filmed, anyway? Zack was just glad that any fetishes the President may have didn't involve cameras in the change rooms) and showed the man exactly what unpolished gem some imbecile of an instructor had been ignoring.

GO LISTEN TO _'This Ain't A scene, it's an Arms Race'_ BY _Fall Out Boy_ RIGHT NOW. THAT IS ONE GREAT SONG.

"And that's why Jalapeño Peppers don't belong in any orifice!" Zack finished, tightening the arm he had slung on Cloud's shoulders, noting the way the blonde shrunk away from the contact.

"That's very ...informative, Zack," the youth replied hesitantly, looking around. "But where are we? I don't think I have clearance to be here!"

Zack looked down at his friend. "You may not have a clearance for this area, young one," he intoned, "But you hold within you the key to the planet, and this will take you far, my child..." Cloud shoved him laughingly, and Zack let himself tumble to the floor. "You have defeated me, fierce warrior!" he told the blonde from where he was sprawled. Cloud grinned and opened his mouth to reply to the man's mock serious tone when something flashed suddenly in the youth's eyes, and instead Cloud turned away from him and marched off.

"Woah! Cloud! Wait up!" Zack hurried after Cloud and felt, when he placed his hand on the blonde's shoulder, the youth's muscles tense under his hand as Cloud halted, standing straight and silent.

"I..." Zack sighed. "I'm sorry, Cloud? I didn't mean to offend you... but I don't know what I did wrong!"

Cloud swiveled, and looked up at him with a strangely blank gaze. In a voice that outfitted his expression perfectly, he asked Zack exactly how old the man thought he was.

Zack blinked wonderingly at him. "Sixteen?"

"If you know I'm sixteen, and I know I'm sixteen, then why did you just treat me like I was ten less than that?" The blonde asked angrily, his eyes flashing with anger and... _was that hurt?_

"Cloud I..." Zack reached out slightly, but the blonde jerked away.

"Zack, If I'm just entertainment to you, or a kid brother for you, or some name in your book of good deeds for the month, then tell me now, okay?" he growled out angrily, making to walk away. This attempt was stifled somewhat by Zack's arms constricting his movement, wound as they were around Cloud's upper body like fleshy vines.

"Cloud," Zack sighed, resting his head on the top of the blonde's. "Cloud, I consider you my friend. I _want_ you to be my friend, because you're interesting and shy and quirky and smart and ... yeah! I don't think of you as some pity case. But I _do_ know that you're given grief by those thugs, and that you possibly didn't have the best childhood," the youth stiffened more at this, "And that _hurts_," he continued, "Because in the time I've spent with you I've learnt that you don't deserve that. You're hurt, Cloud, and I decided the best way to protect you from getting hurt, or from _me_ hurting you, was to not put you through adult hurts. But I guess I should have thought that through better," he barked a laugh out, "I guess I'd hate it if I was babied, too."

He pushed the blonde out from where he was nestled against his body, and looked Cloud squarely in the eyes. "So Cloud, I will treat you like an adult, and like the rest of my friends. But you have to treat me like your equal and your friend, okay?"

Cloud smiled at him hesitantly, all anger and hurt washed off his face like the sudden clearing of clouds to reveal a startlingly brilliant blue sky. Zack's breath caught suddenly in his throat. "Of course Zack," he said boldly. "I wouldn't offer you any less."

And then less unexpected, Cloud stepped up against him and wound his arms up around the older man's neck, pressing the tangled mass that was Zack's hair flat in the press between the two of them. "Thank you, Zack," he whispered softly, words meant for Zack only as he nestled his head in the SOLDIER's chest. "Thank you, for everything."

-- Completed on the 6th day of the 7th month of 2007, at UCT+8.--

Today my plane leaves for New Zealand, so don't expect any instantaneous replies to reviews (If anyone reviews that is... Please review!)

I'd like to thank Shiva-wolfbane for her thirty trillion reviews, as that's the only spamming of my inbox that can make me smile :D (Also thanks reno'sgf for your reviews)

Also, this is unbeta'd, as I wanted to meet my pre-skitrip deadline, but I will update this with the proofread version when I come back/When Kazuhiko has finished with it.


	12. Rockin' and Runnin'

Mix, the TWELTH.

"So," Cloud said finally, disentangling himself from the SOLDIER. "Where exactly were… are we going?"

Zack smiled down at him sunnily. "I was going to take you to my other best friend here!" he answered and now, reminded of his purpose, he seized Cloud's arm loosely and nudged the blonde until he started walking.

"_Other_ best friend?" the blonde asked quizzically, not putting up a fight to the motivated man. He dismissed it and they soon found themselves outside a door. Cloud took a look at the plaque on the door, and then backed away speedily. "ZACK! We can't go in here! That's..." he cut himself off mid-phrase, confused by this turn of events. "Typical… your best friend would be sent to the Gen… to his office, if he's anything like you…" Zack effectively silenced him with a well placed hand.

"MMPH!"

Zack grinned at the flailing blonde, then tried to ruffle his hair. "Clo, just shut up and come in!" and with that, he flung the door open and strode inside. Cloud followed him tentatively, then froze when he saw what - or who - was in the room.

"Oh-my-God-I'm-so-sorry...Zack-dragged-me-in-here-I'll-be-leaving-now!" Cloud quickly turned and made to run out of the office, only to be dragged back in by Zack.

"Now Cloud," the dark-haired man trilled happily, "That's not very polite! Sephy's my oldest friend here, and since I love both of you equally it's only fair I share the love! Sephy, this is Cloudy. Cloudy, this is Sephy. Say 'hii' guys!"

Sephiroth tilted his head slightly , sending a silver stream of hair sliding across his leather gear. "How did you manage to say all that without drawing breath?" he asked softly, exactly the same time as Cloud looked between them and said "Zack, don't tell me you annoy the General, too? ...Um, General, Sir." he made an embarrassed gesture. "Sorry..."

Zack blinked at him, magically in tandem with Sephiroth's confused gaze. "Clo, that's not how you greet someone," he told the blonde.

"I'm sorry!" Cloud squeaked. "It's just, in magazines and stuff… but I didn't think you were really _real_, it sounds funny but you just don't seem like the General! I mean, that's disrespectful of me, I mean… MMPH!" Cloud glowered at Zack when the older man removed his hand. "Damnit Zack, that's the third time today!"

"I had to, spiky. You were kinda sorta hyperventilating." Zack looked at his General, "Seph, what I think he's trying to say is that he doesn't think you belong in the military."

"No!" Cloud objected, "Don't say that, it makes me sound disrespectful. What I mean, sir, is that you don't look like the other you, the one in papers and stuff like... Oh…" he made another nervous gesture, "…with no disrespect, sir, and _please don't kill me for this…_ as civilians, with no link to the military at all…" Cloud held out a hand, then pulled it back, wiped it against his navy pants and held it out again. "H- …hi, I'm Cloud Strife. Nice to meet you… Um… sir. I mean… well, I think you know what I mean. Hopefully."

Sephiroth shook his hand dully. "I'm Sephiroth... just Sephiroth. Nice to meet you Cloud…", he said, then blinked at his own childishness. _This is Zack's friend, _he noted. _Zack would like me to be nice to, and socialize with, his friend. Perhaps he can even be another one of my friends… I think I would like that…_"…considering the common link between us," he added quickly.

Cloud blinked dazedly, amazed he wasn't dead, and had not been laughed at or thrown out of the room. _…Maybe Zack is right to encourage me to be more social. I imagine that if he smiled, he'd be smiling now. Because of me? _"Rreh?"

"I mean to say, Cloud, we have both suffered at the hands of the villain known most commonly as Zachary," the oldest man told him, leaning away from his paperwork to focus solely on the blonde.

"Yes, but you have survived him for longer, and for that I admire your strength of character!" Cloud told him fervently, holding back his smile.

"Well yes," Sephiroth conceded, "But you have taken him out of my hair for the past few weeks, for which I am in your debt, as I had the opportunity to actually get something do…" he paused, staring behind Cloud. The blonde turned too, and paused, staring at Zack who was engaged in a happy dance. He stopped when the conversation did.

"What?!" he said innocently. "My best friends are friends now, so life is good!"

"We're talking about what a nuisance you are, Zackary… that's not something you should celebrate," Sephiroth said bluntly. Cloud grinned next to him.

"Nuisance? More like a plague…"

Zack plastered a frown on his face, but the façade quickly cracked. "More like a sexual disease, baby!"

Sephiroth lobbed a paperweight at him.

The time between this chapter and the last was spent playing Pokemon…+

Cloud hit the wall slightly and let out a muffled sound of pain. But luckily that was the only thing that Tyler dared do to him in the crowded hallway, when he didn't have his two friends with him. Cloud frowned slightly as he shuffled away. _Is Tyler angrier than usual, or is it just me?_ Cloud weaved easily through the crowd, his skinny body working to his advantage. He had restarted his classes, and was happy to be active again, and to make small conversation with the fellow cadets who would actually give him the time of day. For that matter, where was Reno? They had Swordwork separately but the next class, Unarmed Combat, was together... but he couldn't see the redhead anywhere near where the rest of the small class was waiting. Cloud stood away from the group and started glancing nervously at the doorway again. Reno's Swordwork class was in the adjacent room, whilst Cloud's was two corridors away. _He should be here. He should have beaten me here easily. Where is he?_ And for that matter, there were cadets here who were in Reno's class, for Ramuh's sake! So where was Reno?

He wandered over to someone he knew was in the Turk-to-be's previous class. "Hey, uhm, did something happen to Re…"

"CLOUD!" both of them jumped. "Cloud! Over here!" he looked up, to where Zack was running in his direction. Cloud decided he didn't like the very _un-happy _(and thus the un-Happy-Zack, which was something Cloud had quickly come to appreciate) expression on the SOLDIER's face. Zack skidded to a stop in front of him. "Cloud, will you come with me? I thought of you as soon as I…. " He cut himself off, motioning for the blonde to follow him. Cloud's stomach knotted in foreboding. Yeah, serious Zack was a very bad thing.

He followed the older man at a brisk pace through several corridors, until the reached a familiar door and halted. The younger of the two found himself staring at the tenseness evident in Zack's broad back.

"Zack?" Cloud asked hesitantly. If they were _here_ of all places, and even Zack was worried, then Cloud decided he was past worried. He was fucking terrified. "Zack… why the hell are we at the medical wing? Tell me." When Zack hesitated, he growled, "Tell me _Now!_"

Turning around, Zack slid a hand across Cloud's shoulder, and attempted to smile. He failed miserably. "Cloud, sometimes things happen that we can't sto… Hey!" Cloud pushed past him, and took off at a run across the sterile lino floors.

He tore over to the only occupied bed in the next room. The curtains were drawn across the bed, and the blonde tore them open hurriedly, first taking one long look then sinking to the floor at the sight.

"…no…"

"Cloud… it's all right. He'll be fine." Zack knelt next to him, and wrapped his arms around Cloud as comfortingly as he could, so of course he was surprised when the blonde ripped himself out of his grip. Cloud stood up, facing him.

"I'm not a _fucking_ kid, Zack! You can't console me all the time, tell me everything's alright now because it's pretty fucking obvious he's not okay!" he shouted behind him, weaving his way to where the nurse's office was. He burst through the doors, shocking the three nurses inside. "Firstly, why the hell would you leave a severely injured person by himself?"

One nurse, the friendliest, stood up and placed a comforting hand on Cloud's shoulder, which he quickly shrugged off. _Why do people keep doing that?_ "It's Cloud, Cloud Strife, right? You do remember me, don't you?

Cloud's expression darkened, just as Zack entered the room. "You didn't answer my question," the blonde glared at the nurse, who let out a sigh.

"He's stable, so we don't need to watch him. There's nothing we can do for him right now."

Cloud bristled. "You could give him a potion, that'd clear him right up," he snarled out, almost sarcastically.

"That's forbidden on cadet…"

"Then why do you give me potions!" Cloud exploded, "Look, all I want to know is why the fuck Reno is bleeding, pretty goddamn obviously in_ pain_, in the next room and you're sitting here sipping tea!"

Zack made a shocked noise at this revelation. _So they were giving Cloud potions! But why?_

The nurse stood, and brushed down her uniform briskly. "Because no one notices a millimetre of potion skimmed off the top of a bottle, do they? But your friend there will take a whole bottle to make any noticeable improvement. I don't have the authority to authorize use of a whole potion on a cadet!"

"Then let Reno use it and I'll buy a replacement," Cloud answered quickly. Zack glanced at him, then the nurse.

"I'm a SOLDIER. I'm giving you authority to use a potion on that Cadet in there," he finally said. Cloud glanced at him, wide eyed.

_What?_ He mouthed in response, grinning.

Cloud stared at him for a moment, and then smiled tentatively, still shaking with outrage.

The nurse seemed to come to a decision. "Fine, fine," she conceded. "I'll use the potion, but I'm not responsible for this, okay?"

Cloud's smile widened.

ENDCHAPTER12+

27/8/07 , 2:19 & 38 seconds, UST+8 first version completed.

17/9/07 , 2:34 &29 seconds, UST+8 – second (less crappy) version completed (rightly requested by beta Kazuhiko).

Goddamn I've got to get off my lazy ass sooner next time. At least I got this done before the holidays… Yeah so everyone thank Kazuhiko for the fact that this chapter is stomachable. Also, I LOVE ALL YOU READER DUDES WHO PUT UP WITH ME AND review plz :D

RANDOMLY!

My dog took a big chunk out of the corner of my case for FFXII (. And oh maan I can not wait 'till Crisis Core is released vis-à-vis PAL region. I really, REALLY wanted the shiny, limited edition (only 77, 777 made -yours has the number it was on it- released) PSP slimline but OHNOES I am poor and cannot read Japanese. So more waiting for me.


	13. Icecream, better than any Curaga

Mix- Unlucky 13

-

Zack lingered outside the door for a moment before entering, his footsteps soft and gentle on the sterile white tiles. He stared at the tiles now, knowing what he'd see inside. Sure enough, when he looked up, it was the tableau he'd been expecting. Cloud, silent and still, held his friend's hand between his whilst the redhead slept soundly.

He shuffled over to sit beside the blonde, then rested his hand on the smaller boy's tense shoulder. After a second, Cloud sniffed and buried his face in the other's shoulder.

"Zzk…"

"Sssh."

He rubbed his back comfortingly, as if he could rub away the tension and sadness that he could feel clinging to the blonde like a second skin.

But what Zack knew was eating the blonde right now was overwhelming guilt. In Cloud's mind, he knew, it didn't matter how many times Reno, voice fuzzy from sleep, told him repeatedly it wasn't his fault- Cloud knew the only reason Tyler had taken such actions against Reno was his link to Cloud. And so, it was as bad, in Cloud's mind, as if he had done it himself.

Zack bowed his head over the blonde's, his face nestled in the soft and sweet-smelling (_He must use a flowery shampoo_, he thought to himself with a smile) locks.

Tyler was probably the last thing Cloud needed, Zack mused. He knew the boy had crippling self-esteem despite being a promising cadet, thanks to the conditions in which he grew up. A passing thought occurred to him- Reno was probably Cloud's first friend. And now the weakness Cloud felt from being constantly put down and picked on… as well as Reno being punished in Cloud's place…

Zack cradled the blonde closer to him, shifting in the uncomfortable hospital chair to do so. He knew Cloud was strong in his own way, but all he wanted to do was protect the younger boy. 'I'll protect you,' he wanted to say. But Cloud didn't want to hear that. He sighed, yellow locks moving erratically in the wind produced.

"Hey, Cloud." The blonde didn't respond. "The second Reno's better, me you and him, buddy!" Cloud finally looked up. Zack had a moment of internal flustering once he realised exactly _how close_ the blonde's face was to his.

"You me and him what?"

Zack tapped his fingers where his arms lay draped, trapping the blonde in his embrace. "You think that café I took you to was good? I'll show you guys fine Midgarian dining!"

Cloud brightened at the mention of non-regulation food, and smiled marginally. "You promise?"

Zack jabbed the blonde in the forehead with a flailing limb. "Wait, wait, waait…" He extracted both arms from their death hold on the younger blonde. "Ha!" He extended his pinky finger and offered it to the boy. "Pinky promise!"

"You're a doofus," Cloud told him, but met the finger with his own, regardless.

Zack's grin grew even larger.

OPM- HEAVEN IS A HALF-PIPE

Zack always, _always_ kept his promises. Thus, there was a perfectly reasonable reason why he was dragging a protesting sixteen year old on each arm. There was no real reason why the man looked_ this_ pleased by the turn of events, but it might just be because this afternoon Cloud discovered his favourite pair of jeans had shrunk a half-size, and thus the aforementioned jeans are clinging quite tightly to the blonde's ass, giving a quite favourable view. Especially to Zack, who was discreetly swinging his head around to get a look as often as he could, having done so several times in the course of the (quite delicious, both teens accompanying him had conceded) dinner.

"I don't have _space _for ice-cream, Zack!" Cloud complained, leaning closer to the older man.

"Aww, this ice cream's the best, I swear! You haven't had ice-cream till you've had Vanya's!"

Reno stopped, nearly toppling the procession. "We're going to Vanya's? And you're complaining, Cloud? Just go along with the idiot for once. This stuff is to die for, I swear!"

Cloud grumbled. "I guess if Reno says it's good then it must actually be good. So where is this place Zack?"

After a few moments of walking, they reached a rather unremarkable looking door. The thick, rusted metal had a single 'V' painted on it in blue, but was otherwise blank. Cloud blinked up at his companions. "This is it?" Reno laughed, and pushed the door open.

"Oh …oh." Cloud didn't dare step inside the café, it was done up so gorgeously in shining silver and softly pulsating blue halogen lights that he was afraid he'd dirty it. Zack pushed him over to the ice-cream, where he saw the flavours were displayed in shallow pans instead of tubs, and were very obviously and very professionally handmade.

They all got big scoops of different flavours and spent a while eating the soft, sweet dessert, stealing bits of each others', and generally enjoying the atmosphere and each other's presence for a while. However, it didn't pass Reno's notice that Zack's attention kept returning to the blonde, watching him eat and telling him jokes. And it …worried him.

SHINY TOY GUNS- LE DISKO

Zack lay slumped over his desk; hair awry, papers strewn all over the desk and floor. After the whole Cloud thing, and the arduous mission he'd undertaken today, he was exhausted. He felt drained and wanted nothing more than to sleep. He guessed this is what Cloud must have felt like … _Oh, Cloud._ He couldn't stop thinking about the blonde boy. It wasn't just his looks either, although Cloud was damn hot, with that great body and gorgeous face… _Ah, Cloud._ Zack shifted on the desk, until his arm was free and his shoulder was supporting his body._ Cloud can never find out, or he'll hate me, forever! Cloud._ His hand slipped lower._ Cloud. Oh. Oh._

_Damnit,_ he thought later, this wasn't working! He needed some hard liquor.

SOMETHING WITH NUMBERS- CROWNER OF KINGS

Sephiroth glanced up as his Second-in-Command stormed in, and took his usual seat at Sephiroth's desk, ass firmly lodging all his work as effectively as any paperweight. Zack scowled at him. Sephiroth stared back.

"Anything in particular I can help you with, Zack?"

Zack stared a little longer, his brow furrowed, then he brightened. _A breakthrough?_ Sephiroth couldn't help but mentally smile. He was already used to the other's multiple epiphanies, and inane resultant plans. _We'll see what comes of this soon enough._

Zack straightened his back a little and tilted his head. "Let me kiss you," he said.

_Pardon?_ "Pardon?" he echoed.

"Let me kiss you," the dark-haired man repeated, poker-faced.

Sephiroth blinked, then nodded slowly. "You can kiss me, if you want."

"Good." Zack's hand seized his chin, and he kissed the man roughly.

As Sephiroth tilted his head back (and it felt strange that Zack was higher than him, seated on the desk) he returned the pressure, wondering vaguely how one manages to get a mouth to taste like rich chocolate mud cake and honeyed walnuts all at once. Sephiroth had never been one for dessert, but he didn't mind the taste.

"…Cl…oud" Sephiroth pulled back after he heard his friend's murmur. Holding Zack at arm's width, he shot Zack a stern look.

"I can't do this for you if you're just using me as a replacement for him," the General told him. "It's not fair to him, or me, Zack."

Zack, after a moment, touched the older man on the shoulder lightly and walked out. In the hallway, he took the opportunity to butt his head against the wall._ Smooth, Fair. Very smooth. Wait…. "I can't do this is if you're just using me as a replacement for him…"? So, Sephiroth was happy with me kissing him? I mean, he made that much obvious, but I didn't think he'd …you know …want it. Hmm. _

Zack somehow managed to drag himself back to his room, and collapse on the bed. _Mmm, comfy bed. So._ He twisted himself around (twisting the blankets into even more of a mess than usual) _On one side, Cloud. I am very attracted to him, but he doesn't like me at all, I think. And he's a bit… fragile right now. Where's my pillow? _One hand ventured the depths of the space-under-the-bed in a brave quest. _On the other hand, Sephiroth. Very, very sexy. It's easy for me to be attracted to him. He might like me. _

…_this would be so much easier if all three of us were normal people, instead of the messed-up freaks we are._

_Cloud… Seph… Cloud… Seph…_ Images of the two paraded in his mind.

_Seph… Seph and Cloud. Seph …with Cloud. …Actually, that'd be kinda… kinda… kinda hot. Very hot. Mmmm._

Zack slept well that night.

Eventually.

----

4/11/2007, 10:18 23 secs GMT + 8hrs.

posted around 6/11/07. The extra time was spent studying (and not playing Trauma Center, I was studying. STUDYING!)

The only reason this fic is up here for you awesome people who for some reason still read this silly thing is because of Kazuhiko, whose name I can finally spell (aka the capital-L-Lovely Terri, which is easier to memorize) who takes this crap and makes it into something that DOESN'T make your head asplode into a horrible gooey mess.

….yeah. I'm having a bad…. Month. Sorry, all.

And to Renos-Gf: Thanks for the review, but a lot of the point of Cloud 'emo-ing' in the first place is to show how damaged he is, and how he generally gets happier and healthy through the fic. If he suddenly went sadder it would mean something detrimental to his happiness has occurred, and I think I've beaten him up enough and only want to give him hugs right now. So, sorry, Cloud's not gonna change, and I hope you realise why.

TO EVERYONE ELSE (who I have already replied to :D) I LOVE YOU ALL! THANKS FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME! REVIEW AGAIN TO PROVE YOUR LOVE FOR ME! (coughcoughwishmeluckonmyexams!coughcough)

Signing off (hopefully for a smaller amount of time this time around) Karina!


	14. Social skills Rank: in the negatives

Mix 14

"You didn't have to come with me, you know."

"Hn."

"No really. It wasn't your fault. Get over it, already..." Reno scuffed his shoe idly on the green linoleum. Instead of marking it his shoe seemed to scrape off a layer of dirt, leaving one single strip of light green amongst the stained and dark floor, as if someone had just moved a piece of furniture that hadn't been moved for years.

Cloud was avoiding his eyes, instead reading the posters encouraging children to eat healthy, pinned up directly opposite the visitor's chair. Reno himself had the honour of perching uncomfortably on the side of a steel surgical reclining chair, of the type found in offices of dentistry and the like. If he'd been focusing less on his brooding friend he might have noticed that the chair seemed to have thick leather straps hanging off at regular intervals, but he only had eyes for what of Cloud's face he could see - the very tip of his lightly freckled nose - thanks to some stupid-ass person having faced the visitor's chair towards the wall.

It wasn't like he needed to see Cloud's face to know what the blonde was thinking. He was guilty, as he had been since Reno's healing and subsequent week of check-ups. Reno _didn't_ want him to be guilty, goddamnit! He was trying to _help_ Cloud, not make him feel worse!

Both teenagers were brought out of their thoughts by the dull screech of the door being pushed open, but instead of the nurse they expected, Commander Goldenburg - Reno and Cloud's squad leader - strolled inside.

"Sir!" two suddenly attentive cadets saluted. Goldenburg wasn't such a hardass as some of the other commanders, but he was known to have an unpredictable streak.

The forty-something man waved off their salutes, then faced Cloud.

"Cadet, he's the one injured (at this Reno nearly 'humph'ed in indignation, but managed to hold it back) not you, so you're still required to attend class."

"Ah. Of course sir, sorry Sir," Cloud replied, feeling sheepish.

Content with this, Goldenburg turned towards Reno. "Get well, cadet. I want to see you back in class on Monday"

"Yes sir!"

Cloud followed Goldenburg out the door, not even glancing back at the would-be Turk.

Reno sighed.

SAY ANYTHING- EVERY MAN HAS A MOLLY

Cloud sighed as he stretched out his legs, enjoying the slow burn of muscles working. He felt like he had been slack lately, with all the things happening after he met Zack conspiring to take away the satisfaction he got from a good workout.

"Ah..." he sighed again, closing his eyes and arching back. When he opened his eyes to find a face in front of him, he stumbled back a few steps in shock.

"Tyler?!"

As the older man scowled at such casual use of his name, Cloud tried to resist the urge to back further away. What was he doing here? Talking to him? Was he going to beat him up? Here? Everyone could see! Well, at least he had a better chance of being 'safe' here, even if he did risk getting beaten up later.

Steeling himself, Cloud faced Tyler. "What do you want from me?" he asked, hoping he sounded tough and not pitiful.

Tyler didn't need to look away from the blonde to know the instructors were watching. They always were - guards watching - always waiting for any hint of a storm brewing on the training hall floor. Outside of the hall, though, most of them couldn't care less.

Tyler glared at him for a long while, trying to express through his eyes what his fists could not.

"I don't like you," he growled out finally, storming off.

Cloud stared at his retreating back. _What? _He thought hazily, most of his brain sounding alarms. _Why'd the captain obvious feel he had to state that? Did he think I thought that he wanted to be friends? That can't be right - Gods, I'll never understand people._

AVENGED SEVENFOLD- BAT COUNTRY

Zack sighed, turning the page on his fifty-million page report. Or at least, he had been reading it so long it felt life fifty million pages, but it was only because it was so boring that it seemed that way. He glanced at the older man at his desk again. Sephiroth'd be angry at him if he heard Zack using stupid words like that. The only reason Sephiroth was at an unoccupied desk in the communal office, in the same room as him, was because he'd managed to convince the man that the office was under-populated in the first place, and the few people who had desks here were off on holidays or on a mission right now, so it would just be the two of them.

Normally Zack'd revel in having a whole day of annoying Sephiroth, but in this case he just felt... awkward, which was a rarity for him.

He didn't feel bad for kissing Sephiroth and Sephiroth had seemed to enjoy it, but it was just...

He felt he had to talk to Cloud. _Apologize? For what? It's not like I have something going with him._

_It's not like... _Damnit! Zack tried not to break his coffee cup in his fist. _It's not like he'd want or need it right now!_

_Damnit, I'm trying to help Cloud out as a friend, not lust after him like some green cadet after Sephiroth!_

_Damnit, damnit… damnit!_ Zack glanced at Sephiroth again, who noticed he was being looked at and raised his head, shooting Zack a questioning glance. _It'd be just my luck if Cloud decided he was gay, and then fell for Seph._

He tried hard not to think of the dream he had. _Damnit..._

THE RED JUMPSUIT APPARARATUS- IN FATE'S HANDS

Zack didn't knock at Cloud and Reno's dorm room. It wasn't like either of them were the type to parade around naked (though Zack suspected that Reno could probably be goaded into it) or do anything embarrassing (again, Reno) in the room, in plain view, so he burst in.

When he saw Cloud sprawled out _on top_ of Reno, his first thought was, frighteningly enough, _Wow, that'd be pretty hot, actually_. Quickly banishing that, the next to rise up was _Cloud's mine! Get off him!_ Luckily, some unused quick-thinking circuit jumped into action and prompted him to say, "Woah! Do you guys need me to come back at a later time?"

Luckily he didn't imply anything else as he noticed now Cloud seemed to be only dead weight to Reno (and the blonde was also scowling, but blushing prettily at Zack's insinuation) and the would-be-Turk himself looked a little annoyed, but mostly bored.

"Zack!" Cloud said at the same time as Reno growled out, "Will you get him off me?"

"I'm not letting you up! You can't train in this condition, Reno!"

Zack's jealousy gave a sigh of relief, and went to hang out with his artistic talent while the man himself quickly joined the conversation.

"Reno, you're trying to work out? Like that? Can't you wait until you've healed?"

Reno scowled. "If you guys don't let me do anything, I'll become unfit! How will they let me into the Turks then?"

"I..." Zack shrugged. "A week won't kill you, Reno. Anyway, I got you this."

Reno stared at the flower in the SOLDIER's hand. Looking barely wilted despite the humid day, the plant's layered red petals looked soft and smooth, and the green sepals looked fresh and crisp. He took it delicately, not wanting to break the delicate thing.

"It's a pretty flower," Cloud said, raising himself off Reno slightly. "Where'd you get it?"

"From a pretty girl," Zack said, grinning. A weird expression flitted across Cloud's face at this, but no one seemed to notice.

Reno smiled, combing his hair with his fingers idly. "For a pretty beat up guy," he finished.

Cloud allowed a small smile to crawl, unbidden, across his face.

STABBING WESTWARD- SOMETIMES IT HURTS

_Ah, Cloud._

_Oh! Hello, General, sir!_

_We're the only ones here, Cloud. Sephiroth will do._

_Sure, Sephiroth._

Cloud was going in that direction, and Sephiroth was too. As happens when two people walk together, they started a conversation.

And unfortunately for Sephiroth, he wasn't nearly as well versed at being social with people outside of the professional environment. Such things didn't occur very frequently for him, of course, so one had to understand certain blunders he might make, in the misguided view that he might be doing something to help his friends.

And that's how Sephiroth managed to change to conversation about Cloud's improving sword techniques to something the blonde was not so sure about.

"Zack's interested in you, did you know?"

"...Interested?" Cloud managed, not quite sure what Sephiroth was talking about, and even less sure he should be talking about this with the General of the ShinRa army, even if Cloud had wordlessly labeled the man 'friend'.

"Romantically."

"Oh...?" Ok, now Cloud was confused. Was he really hearing this? "So... he?"

"Wants to kiss you, I think."

Sephiroth noted Cloud's shocked look, and wasn't sure how he felt about that.

"...I'm going in here, now. Goodbye, Cloud."

"Goodbye," he replied automatically, still processing this information.

Wandering off to his dorm, Cloud muttered to himself, "...That's why Zack hangs out with me?"

_I thought... I thought he was my friend._

RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS- CALIFORNICATION

Cloud walked next to Reno to class the day after next. The redhead was finally released from any infirmary visits, and was free to go to class again. Cloud was glad for the obvious reasons, but also because it had given him a good enough reason to avoid Zack, as he had been doing for the past two days. He felt slightly sick whenever he thought of the SOLDIER and the friendship-that-never-was or whatever it was Zack had been playing at.

During PT Cloud took a deep breath, and strode over to where Tyler was standing with his brunette friend.

The man stared at him for a while, steel eyes glinting from underneath a long fringe of sandy hair. Just as he was about to open his mouth (and Cloud could practically_ hear _him, gruff voice barking out a 'whattya want' with his intimidating glare) Cloud beat him to the punch.

"Spar with me."

Tyler shot him an incredulous look, but followed him out onto the mats.

CELDWELLER- ONE GOOD REASON

Finished 14/01/08 1:54 PM, UST 8 this took me like five hours, I don't know why.

I promised some of you a chapter about a month ago.

...I lied.

Well, I don't have a good explanation. All I can do is say I am sorry, tell you that my external hard drive is fried so you'll take pity on me, and offer you two extra pages on top of my usual three and hope that you all had a happy new year ...:D

As usual, I love all my reviewers, but I review reply telling you all that anyway BUT I LOVE YOU ALL and if you loved me back you'd review again.

Oh man, my freckles are migrating up my forearms onto my knuckles. This can't be good.

2 pages of Mix- plot notes down, seven to write into chapters! I want to finish the fic at chapter 21, but I don't know if I'll manage to stretch it out that far...

THANKS FOR BETA-ING KAZUHIKO!

**KIRIBAN AT 100 REVIEWS! Whatever you want!**


	15. Fact: Cloud eats Gyshal Greens

Cloud danced back, step by step, as he caught every one of Tyler's heavy attacks with his own blade. The older blonde's technique seemed to be, sadly, limited to powerful swings and nothing else. Luckily enough for the cadet, the two or three training sessions he had experienced had taught him to handle Zack's enhanced strength and he easily applied the same concept here.

The blonde bent his knees to duck a slash aimed at his head and then retaliated with a glancing blow in a direction not defended by his opponent.

Cloud exhaled in time to his attacks, enjoying the simple feeling of exertion. He looked up at Tyler, briefly meeting brown eyes.

"I know it was you," he said, inhaling sharply as he barely deflected a heavy-handed blow. Seeing no recognition, he growled out, "Reno."

He didn't dare look at the other man's face, but felt muscles tense as the blades met, and heard the other say, "The redhead," with recognition now tinting his voice. "Yeah, that was me."

"Why?" Cloud turned, sent the tip of his blade flying through the air, slashing an inch above the SOLDIER's uniform.

"You got my friend kicked out."

"That wasn't me," Cloud puffed out, defending a particularly heavy set of blows.

"It was your SOLDIER buddy."

The unexpected words scorched his ears, burning into his brain in a sudden moment of understanding.

_Zack? __he did that__... for me?_ Something twisted sickly in his mind. _Because he liiiikes you_, a voice whispered. _B__ecaaause he wants to kiss you! No more. Why would he want you as a friend? Who'd want __you__ as a friend, Cloud? __  
_

_Who'd care, Cloud? If not even your own Mum ca..._

_DON'TTHINKABOUTTHATDON'T THINK ABOUT _THAT!

Cloud felt sickened as he idly defended and retaliated, his mind relentlessly picking at this new information until all he was left with was a pile of lies.  
_  
Zack's__ lies.  
_  
Or had he lied? When had he said, when had that trustworthy, friendly face's mouth ever uttered words suggesting he had wanted anything as a _friend_? That wasn't what he wanted from Cloud!

_He said we were friends!_

And all.

He wanted.

_This whoole time  
_  
Was to get into…

Cloud's fucking pants!

_He wants to kiss you._

_Do you not want to kiss him?_

Cloud froze, eyes wide, heart thumping like a rabbit's.

Somewhere, far away, he heard a loud metallic clinking, metal on wood, and he pulled out of his thoughts just in time to see Tyler's sword a few meters away. He'd been aware of fighting, twisting, defending, but had he disarmed him?

Tyler's expression was something he'd never seen on the man before; tired, bemused, almost… _almost_ frightened.

_And... Is that... admiration?  
_  
"Oh," he murmured, stilling. He realized now there was a sheen of sweat clinging to him and a tiredness in his muscles.

"You fight well, I guess." _Watchout!_

Cloud shrugged. 'Mm."

PROTEST THE HERO-HERETICS & KILLERS

"Miss?"

"Oh, hello child. Have you come to visit me, then?" relenting to the one woman he'd let call him child, Cloud nodded.

"Yes, Miss. I just came to say how very grateful I am to you for the ...incident, weeks back, and to apologize to you for how I treate…"

"Oh hush, child." the woman, past the prime of a Midgar woman at 67 but still a strong, self sufficient lady, smiled down at him over her bosom.

"We all know how you can't blame a person for acting a little crazy when they're worried about something, you know!" she enthused.

"And besides, it does me a world o' good to see young love."

"Young..?"

"You and that dashing dark-haired man, of course!" the nurse told him. "He seems to think the world of you!"

Cloud froze, avoiding her gaze. "Anyway, I should begoingnow, bye!" He practically sprinted out of the compound.

The nurse stared at his retreating back, smiling fondly. "Full of energy, jus' like my son before the Zolom took 'im. I do hope he makes up with that charming SOLDIER...,"

VCR- DO YOU WANNA TRIUMPH

The distance between Reno's and Cloud's bed was the perfect distance to lightly throw a small object without having to put any real effort into it. The two were discovering this now as a hacky sack jumped from one's hand to the other's, neither moving more than absolutely necessary actions. The air was thick and hot with humidity, and the two had quickly finished training and come straight back to their rooms.

Unfortunately, lack of air-con or even a fan meant it was no better here, but at least cooler than the two would find themselves if they were working out. An old CD of Reno's skipped repeatedly on a deep scratch, the syllable endlessly replaying.

_Zack's CD has better mu... NO! Notthinkingabouthim, not thiinking about him!_

The door opened with a creak, a familiar head poking through. _...speak of the devil..._

"Yo!" Zack said, grinning as always, Cloud watched as his eyes roved discreetly over his limber body, stretched out over the cheap bed.  
_  
I don't need you, Zack. You just caught me at a bad time. Look, I confronted my problem! I didn't need your help against Tyler! I don't need you!_

Cloud glanced up at the older man, grateful for the tonelessness his voice took on. "Can I talk to you... outside?"

"Sure..." Zack said, a faint vein of worry tingeing his features.

Cloud followed the older man out into the empty hall.

_I... I'm not weak, Damnit!_

"Are we friends, Zack?"

"Hu...?" Zack jolted into startled awareness, instantly more aware of this conversation, the weight of every syllable against their tongues, every sound breaking through the heavy atmosphere.

He looked at Cloud's face, in the blonde's younger years his puppy fat had melted away, leaving the smooth curves of a good-looking, emotionally flexible face. It now held a mask of unseeming blankness, but Zack could see the rapid flicking of strong emotions behind the facade.

_What are you thinking, Cloud? What's going on in that gorgeous head of yours?_

Zack smiled, trying to inject as much reassuring attitude as he possibly could into his expression. Despite this, he felt a thin trickle of sweat work its way out of his thick hair on the back of his neck to gather on the nape of his neck. He didn't think it was the heat.

"Of course, Cloud."

For a second something on Cloud's mask broke, and Zack caught a glimpse of...

_Anger... and betrayal?_

What did I do, Cloud, to deserve that?

And even when Cloud started talking again, every letter seemed charged with emotion, as blank as he tried to make them.

"Are we friends, _Zack_, or do you just keep me around because you... want to... kiss me?"

Zack felt his eyes widen, especially at the fiery sarcasm injected into his name. "What?!"

Cloud glowered at him, sharp blue eyes now stormy.

"Who told you that...?" Zack murmured, slowly processing what he had said_. Wait, I just admitted it. Fuck!_

"S..." Cloud turned his face away sharply. "Someone told me..."

_Sephiroth? Why... Why would you...?  
_  
Zack steeled himself. "Okay- Cloud, I like you." /Quite a lot,/ he added mentally/Quite a damn lot, you and Se- Oh Gaia I'm not thinking about that now.../ "So what?"

"So what? Maybe _I_ don't want to spend my time with someone- someone I /trusted/- who thinks of me as only a future fuck!"

"What?" Zack objected. "It's not like that!"

"Yeah, Zack, whatever you say" the blonde growled out condescendingly. Zack was fleetingly reminded of a wolf he had seen once in the forest near Cosmo Canyon, growling at him with its shackles up. "That's what you want to hear, isn't it?"

_Ramuh! What have you gotten yourself into now, Zack? Can you fix this?_

"Cloud," he started, "I appreciate you as a _person_, I like your personality and I like being friends with you. But I also," Zack breathed out and idly ran his fingers through his hair, "find myself romantically interested in you."

Cloud... stared back, blankly.

"Cloud..."

_He's staaaring at you, Zack, isn't it nice to have his attention? Look as his pretty eyes! They... almost... glow... They're amazing. He's amazing. He hates you._

Zack took a step closer, than another. Cloud made an abrupt movement as the older man closed in on him but a second later Zack's hands - strong from years of sword work - clamped down on each shoulder - gave only the lightest squeeze before Zack dragged the blonde to him.

Their mouths met in the most rough, uncoordinated fashion, teeth clicked together and noses bumped as Zack took in his first kiss.

Cloud pushed away angrily, dragging himself out of the other's warm (Unbearably hot, on a day like this) embrace.

"You've got your kiss. Are you happy now?"

_Oh! FUCK! Zack, you stuff up!_ "Wai-"

He seized the shoulder of Cloud, already at his door, but the blonde simply shrugged it off, glanced back long enough to bark out "Fuck off!" before slamming the door behind him.

Zack stared despairingly at the door. That damned voice inside his head mused, _wowee, what a firecracker! But you like 'em feisty, dontcha Zack?_

He groaned.

BIF NAKED- LETDOWN

Zack had no way of knowing Cloud heard him on the other side of the door. Of course, just because he _could _hear Zack didn't mean he was listening. Cloud was instead staring at the big, strong, shiny lock Zack had installed _for him. To protect his property, Hahaha_

It was, as locks were meant to be, locked.

Cloud had his face in his hands.

Reno, who had easily heard the near-shouted conversation outside through the cheap walls, patted the space on the bed next to him, sympathy evident in his eyes and heat forgotten.

Cloud sank down slowly, and even more slowly eased his face into the crook of Reno's shoulder.

Not long after, Reno felt his friend's body shake with silent sobs.

Reno raised a hand to the blonde's back, but fingertips barely touched when Cloud's handed seized his wrist.

"Don't. Please, don't." the blonde croaked out, "That's what he used to do."

Reno relented.

CHAPTER 15 END

This copy finished 14-02-08 (V-day!) abooout 4:58 pm GST 8.

NOTES LEIK AWESSOME!

So, yeah, things're getting heavy now :D Cloud is still convinced that no-one loves him, Zack is a … PIMP HELLZ YEAH and Reno is now opening a strip club with Sephiroth.

….**uh, apart from begging you dudes to review **(COS YOU LOVE ME, RIGHT?) I'd like to ask you how you find my writing compared to my first few chapters. Do you prefer them or this? Also, this is page six. That's almost double what I wrote for chapters 7-11 and so on. COS I LOVE YOU!


	16. Preemptive Strike: A Zack Appears!

Mix Chapter 16- Only a little late

Mix Chapter 16- Only a _little_ late. Hurhur.

In an environment like school or another workplace, days can roll by filled with nothing more than the same old stuff, day in day out.

For Zack, it was when he idly glanced at his calendar to realise it'd been two months- _Two months!_- since Cloud had left him in the hall all those weeks ago.

Two whole months!

He missed the other- Zack had found his attention drawn to blondes passing by, looking away sadly when he realised it wasn't _him._ Two months ago, he would have said it wasn't his Cloud. Scouring passing classes of cadets for those bright blue eyes- even when (and he knew that he was slowly careening down into a spiral of obsessiveness) he knew Cloud's timetable by heart, and the blonde had Materia 101 three hallways away. _Not like he needs practice with materia... he's a natural at it_.

Once the blonde had passed him, eyes on the ground, and Zack's fingers had itched to seize the boy, or maybe ruffle his hair.

Sadly, Cloud (_His Cloud) _had remained out of reach.

Sephiroth, however...

Zack had been at his rarely-used desk, actually _working _for once when Sephiroth had yanked his chair out and kissed him, hard. It wasn't anything more than lips against lips - the General hadn't attempted to use tongue or anything (and was that a hint of resentment, in saying there was no tongue?) and then simply strolled out again like nothing had happened.

The result of that was four steamy but brief makeout sessions, snuck into any out-of-the-way nooks they could find. Zack was sure that if it wasn't for time constraints they would've fucked, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Two days ago Zack had been stuck between a wall and Sephiroth's hard body, one of the man's leather-bound legs wedged between his own when Sephiroth had pulled back, Zack's head held between his hands and had asked "Are you thinking of Cloud now?"

"Ah! I..." Zack had managed, arousal clogging his mind as he tried to think of the least offensive reply.

After a second, he sighed. "I'm thinking of you, Seph, but I'm thinking of Cloud too," he admitted.

Sephiroth granted him a rare smile. "Then go and get Cloud," he told the younger man mildly, "But only if he wants you. Convince him, don't force him." A strange emotion flickered across his face.

"You..." Zack almost stuttered, unable to believe the luck in this opportunity presenting itself. "You'd let me have him… and you?"

"Would you let me?"

"Let you..." _Holy fuck! If he's saying what I think he's saying then all my fantasies are coming true at once. Well, except for that one with the... err... maybe I shouldn't mention that..._ Shaking the thought out, Zack blinked at his superior. "You talking about what I'm thinking, Seph?"

"I am indeed, Zack, insinuating my acceptance of a homosexual relationship between you, Cloud, and myse-

Zack?"

"Oh..." Zack grinned, fanning his flushed face. "Sorry man, but I think I just creamed my pants,"

"..." Sephiroth's face was blank.

"Sorry, you jealous?" Zack purred, and then paled abruptly. "Seph, what if he doesn't want... doesn't want me? Or you?"

As Sephiroth blinked at him, Zack continued, "How do we even know he's gay?"

Sephiroth let out a short laugh, much to the other's chagrin.

"What!"

"Zack..."

"Whaat? Really!"

"Have you looked at Cloud lately?"

Zack's reply was a small smirk. "Aw yeah."

"...You cannot tell me that that boy is heterosexual," Sephiroth reasoned calmly.

"Hey!" Zack growled, "Don't you apply your unfair stereotypes on my friend!"

The General let out a sigh. "I've seen him... look at you oddly. Actually, I'm not sure he even knows he's doing it..."

"Oh. _Oh. _Like, good, oddly?"

Sephiroth replied with a pointed look, as he went into his office, the door clicking shut behind him softly.

Zack, A dreamy look adorning his face, stared idly at the wall for a while, contemplating hot oblivious blondes and equally hot men with silver hair and sadly lacking social skills for a few seconds, before snapping out of it.

"Wait - when were you watching us?"

HYBRID- IF I SURVIVE

It had been two months. Cloud had noted the days crossed out on his calendar (a cheap thing from an equally cheap news agent, but at least it offered more writing space than the tiny boxes on the complimentary Shinra calendar) with a grim satisfaction, each day evidence that he definitely didn't need Zack to live his life. Cloud had trained extensively with that as his personal mantra and it had definitely paid off, as a week and a half ago he had been surprised to realise he could easily best any of his fellow cadets. He was immensely proud of that, almost as proud as he was of his ability to banish Zack from his thoughts (not good enough, it seemed, as the man had made some disturbing guest appearances in his dreams… Cloud wasn't quite sure how to interpret that).

Much to Cloud's surprise, Tyler had approached him several times asking him to spar and the blonde had conceded. The two had slowly developed a fragile companionship of sorts.

Speaking of companions, Reno's health had improved dramatically in the first two weeks since his original injuries, and he had confided to his blonde friend that the Turks were, in fact, scouting him out. He had already suffered at several extensive and exhausting training sessions with the Turks leader, and Reno's grin had been one of a tired maniac's when he had returned from these. He also knew of Cloud's infrequent sparring sessions with his attacker, and when encountering the two in a training room had dealt Tyler only one punch, straight into the stomach, and strolled off again after telling Cloud to make sure he wins against the bastard.

Cloud had smirked, and attacked the air in front of his opponent with a twisting slash. It felt odd to talk to the man and refer to him as 'Tyler', months of both him and Reno referring to the man as 'The Bastard' was a hard habit to break.

Despite Cloud's strong words and actions, despite the fact that Cloud had improved rapidly through desperate determination built on the underlying emotion that remained from his anger at Zack. He found that shutting off his thoughts about Zack made it so that he could almost convince himself that Zack didn't really exist in the same world that he did, or some other ludicrous reason for why he never saw the other man anymore. For this reason, it was a bit of a shock to Cloud's system when Zack appeared in front of him, as he approached his room.

"Cloud?!" Zack's face brightened, a hint of worry underlying his happiness. Cloud's heart twinged painfully at his expression.

Cloud did his best to school his voice as he replied calmly, "Hi Zack". His voice sounded strange to himself.

Zack looked notably worried as he approached the blonde. "Listen, I… I want to be friends again. Just because I like you… as something more than a friend, doesn't mean I'm thinking of you as anything less than a great person, or as a friend."

"Cloud – I," Zack inched forward, eyes begging the blonde.

"…am really attracted to you…" Cloud was idly noting every step that Zack took, but he was dimly aware of the fact that he didn't really mind the impending collision. Zack continued, "It's not because you're really hot, or that you have a gorgeous figure - although they do make me attracted to you, as well…"

Zack was so close now that Cloud was drowning in Zack's distinct scent. The heady feeling was overwhelming him as he pressed against the wall, Zack looming down on him. He felt like a fly in honey, struggling to move in a haze of emotion. Zack smiled down at him, pushing against the invisible barrier between friendship and something more. "It's because you're so fucking _you_, Cloud…" the older man seemed to take a second to take in Cloud's face before continuing. "…And if you tell me to stop, I will."

And then they were kissing again.

If Cloud thought the sluggish sweet honey-feel was strong when Zack was looming down on him then it was nothing compared to having the man pull away again, several minutes later. A strong hand gently stroked his cheek.

Zack held him close, smiling down like Cloud's own personal deity. "Was that ok-" breaking out of the haze, Cloud lunged forward and pressed their lips together, just as a voice in his head laughed. _Magnet lips, haha!_

They finally parted, after dimly noting that this was a public hallway, and anyone could come in and go at any time.

"So?" Zack asked, seemingly unable to release his tight grip on the young man.

Cloud blinked up at him, and it was all Zack could do to not jump his companion now - Cloud was delicately flushed and blinking up at him innocently. _Damnit, how could someone so strong and competent with a sword look so adorable and innocent? _"So what?"

"You're fine with this, aren't you, Cloudy?"

"Cloudy?" he made a face. "Ignoring that, yeah. I'm-" Cloud smiled up at him, stunningly. "I'm fine."

Zack returned the smile happily, and just held the blonde close for a while.

"Mmmm," Zack hummed into the blonde's hair idly, liking his response.

"Hey, Zack, qui-!" Zack smiled into his hair.

"Hush little baby, don't you cry-"

Cloud scowled up at him, and the disgruntled expression reminded him of someone else for a startling second, reminding him of the second thing on his mental list.

"Oh! Cloud!"

"Huh?"

"Uhh…" Zack grinned, for what must have been the fiftieth time. "Uh, what do you think of Seph, Clo? Would you…. You know… tap dat?"

Cloud's eyes widened. "What. What?"

Zack's answering laugh scared passerbys.

DEAR REVIEWERS AND WATCHERS, WHOM I LOVE WITH ALL MY HEART 3.

You may have noticed that updates are more and more sporadic lately, which is due to school, lack of time, and mass amounts of stress 3.

However, the end is coming, and soon! Well, chapter-wise, anyway. And to reward all you wonderful people who review, I am offering my services as a ficwriter for any prompts you have for Mix! Just chuck it in a review (along with your review, of course :D ) and I'll get to it in one of the eventual bonus chapters!(Of course, allow me lenience for time, and the right to turn it down if it just doesn't work for me) Other bonus chapters will include a 'playlist' of my favourite songs to listen to when writing Mix, and other stuff!

About ReMix- my ideas for Mix have evolved over the two years (wtf, it's been so long! :D) that I've been writing it, but I am dead set on writing a sequel- even if it's a oneshot- to Mix, showing the continuation post-meteor(postgame). Please stick around for it (posted separately, of course) after Mix comes to an eventual end!

I'd just like to point out that my lovely lovely betawriter, Kazuhiko, has stuck with me for all the better chapters of this fic, and she's the reason this fic makes any sense :D. Thanks, Terry!

Also thanks yo all my asskicking reviewers (I've replied and told you all how much I love you already 3) and to the reviewers not logged in, I appreciate you guys too!

Well, I wanted to get this stuff out at the end of this chapter just to let you guys know what's going on :D. I wanted to write more in this chapter, but then I wasn't sure I'd ever get it written!


	17. Completely Clueless

Cloud reclined on the couch, fingers wrapped around a warm mug of hot chocolate. He jolted out of his relaxed state when Zack stormed in.

"Zack? What's wrong?" Cloud queried, watching the distressed man walk in circles.

"It's awful, Cloud!" Zack moaned. "Terrible! No-one asked for drabbles in chapter 16! No-one! Can't they understand she's writing stuff for free, here? Do people hate her writings so much they don't want to read any more?"

Striding in the doorway, Sephiroth seized Zack by the shoulders. "Calm down!" he commanded the man. "All we can hope for is that people will get the message and submit their requests to this chapter."

"Can't they understand she's trying to reward the reviewers she loves?" Zack wailed.

"Oh and-" Cloud gulped down his hot chocolate, savoring the taste for a second. "The author will take this temporary chapter down when chapter 17 is written- hopefully this year- so I guess if you have a request after that you should submit it in another review. She loves writing the silly things, weirdly enough."

"If you're confused by this," Sephiroth sighed, accepting his own hot chocolate from Cloud, "Refer to the end of the last chapter."

Zack grinned. "And by the way kids, they'll probably look more like this here than that ...thing... at the end of chapter eight!"

PS- You guys didn't think this was gonna be a real chapter, did you?

EDIT!

Kazuhiko and Following-Padfoot's Pawprints are the only people who have requested so far! WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE REST OF YOU PEOPLE? Do you NOT want free drabbles?

Edit the second: Closed now, beeyaches. Thx!


	18. A little worn, a little old

Mix- Chapter of the 17th.

Tucked neatly under the other's arm, Cloud had no choice but to scuttle along with Zack towards a door inscribed by a universally-recognised name.

Stopping in front of the door, Cloud looked up at the older man. "Well... this feels familiar," he said after a pause.

"Déjà vu, much?" Zack agreed, suddenly lowering his head to rub his face in Cloud's already ruffled spikes. "Mmm! Cloud, have I ever told you how tasty you smell?"

"Augh!" Cloud yelped as an adventurous mouth nipped playfully at his ear. "What the hell, Zack!"

"I tolth youmph!" Zack mumbled into his skin, "Ymm smelth so gd!"

Grumbling at the injustice of it all, Cloud elbowed away from the SOLDIER and glared at a passing secretary.

Ignoring Zack's incredulous look at the blonde's ability to break free from his super-snuggle-grip ™, Cloud reflected on how exactly he had ended up in this predicament.

A week ago Zack had all but molested him in the hallways, and practically hadn't let go of him for that time. But now Sephiroth had finally conquered the mountain of paperwork that had somehow materialized on his desk, and was ready for an introduction into Zack and Cloud's super love adventure (dubbed that by Zack, who was promptly dropkicked). However just because Zack called it so didn't mean that anything 'adventurous' was going on. Despite all his efforts, Cloud refused to allow the relationship to proceed past a few chaste kisses, claiming that a week of being together wasn't long enough to justify jumping into bed together. Zack exclaimed over his small town sensibilities and cooed over the way he "Proctected his innocence, like a delicate flower!" Cloud dropkicked him again then laid some proper pain down.

One might even wonder if Zack riled the easily stirred up Cloud like he did because he secretly liked being beaten up by the diminutive blonde… but perhaps it's better not to delve that far into Zack's mind. After all, who knows what horrors lurk in there.

Ignoring the enigma that is a man with an unusually active imagination attached to an unusually large sex drive, and back to the situation that presented itself- a door, yet unopened - Zack flung open the door with gusto. Seated at the desk, Sephiroth looked up from his paperwork, and sighed.

"Aah, Cloud, it's good to see you," Sephiroth said, adding almost as an afterthought, "Zack, how is it you always know when it's safe to harass me without fearing Masamune?"

Zack grinned, "It's a trade secret!" Next to him, a slow blush started creeping along Cloud's cheeks.

"Cloud? Is everything all right?" Sephiroth enquired, spotting the teen's flushed face.

"It's just… erm…" Cloud muttered, doing his best to ignore Zack's curious gaze. "It's just I don't know what Zack said to you, but I'd hate for you to be forced into anything like this r… this relationship if you don't want I-" he found himself abruptly cut off by lips against his.

Watching the two slowly become more and more wrapped up in each other, Zack grinned. "Heh, Cloud, you thought he didn't want you?" Watching for a little longer, Zack suddenly started. "Wait a sec, Cloud won't even let me do that! And you just come over and stick your tongue down his throat, and suddenly it's okay to stick your hands down his pants!" he fumed for a little while, but allowed himself a small laugh when Cloud gave him the rude finger, and happily sauntered over when Sephiroth freed one hand to beckon him over.

CAKE- STICKSHIFTS AND SAFETY BELTS

In Zack's apartment there's a worn, but extremely comfortable sofa that Zack is very fond of. And right now he was even fonder of it than usual as he was happily seated there with his two favourite people on his lap. It was quite a small couch.

"I love you two soo much!" he gleefully told them. The feathers on the plush dolls' heads fluttered slightly in the wind.

Zack frowned. "Something's just not right here…."

COBRA STARSHIP- THE CITY IS AT WAR

In Zack's apartment there's a worn, but extremely comfortable sofa that Zack is very fond of. But there's also a brand spanking new couch taking up a large amount of space in his living room. And right now he was learning to love this new couch more and more as he was happily seated there wedged between his two favourite people. Thank god it wasn't a small couch.

Cloud grumbled slightly. "Zack, I really should be in class right now. I mean, SOLDIER trials are coming up pretty soon! Do you want me to get in, or what?"

Grinning down at the blonde pressed against his body, Zack replied "Come on babes, you know you'll do well! And besides, I need to break in this new couch. It's way too clean!"

Shifting uncomfortably and tugging at his arm in a not-so-subtle way of telling Zack he'd like it back from under Zack's body, Sephiroth input "And may I ask why it was necessary to get a new couch anyway, Zack? The old one seemed perfectly fine to me."

"Too small." Zack tried to cuddle against his superior further, an impossible task if one is to note their already close proximity. "Although this one's getting a little cozy, eh?"

Cloud grumbled slightly but didn't object, so Sephiroth had to concede defeat in the wake of Zack's overwhelming friendliness. "…perhaps."

"So how's everyone celebrating yule, then? With me, I hope?"

"Zack, have you even got space for a tree in all this mess?" Cloud sighed.

Zack looked around. "Errm… good point. Well in that case, I guess the tree'll have to go into Seph's apartment! Isn't that right, Seph?"

"I'll be working, Zack."

"..." Zack blinked disbelievingly. "You can not be serious."

"The world does not stop for a mere holiday," Sephiroth gently chided. On the other side of the couch, Cloud nodded in understanding but didn't look any less disappointed.

"But Seph, Yuletide is all about making memories with the ones you love and enjoying yourself! I know I've had heaps of great Yule celebrations with my family up in Gongaga, what abouts you, Cloudie?" Zack purred, turning to his younger companion. Under his gaze, Cloud paled significantly.

"Look uh… I better get to class," he gasped out, almost flinging himself off the couch in an effort to get out. "I'll see you guys later bye!"

"…wow." Zack leaned back further, if that was even possible. "Seph, I think we really need to talk this over with Cloud and figure out what's eating him. Because it's our job to keep each other happy, yeah?"

"Zack, it's not our place to interf-"

"_Happiness_, Seph."

Sephiroth conceded with a nod. "If it'll make Cloud happy. But not if we only make him suffer."

The look on Zack's face was pensive. "Sometimes things get better before they get worse, Seph."

Sephiroth nodded, face dark.

FREEZEPOP- BOYS ON FILM

Now here's a hopefully not too super long ass AN!

Ok guys, yeah I was gone a long time. But seriously, it was my final year at school. So three lots of exams, graduation, tradition Australian tradition of getting piss drunk and partying after graduation, getting my results (last night I found out I'm way in the clear for the course I want at Uni! WHOO! Pretty awesome, considering I didn't study one iota for the past two years) and here we are! Hello.

I would have liked to write a longer chapter, but I wanted to get it out before Christmas. I've been working a hellish amount lately (I'm even working Christmas eve!), and between that, sleeping, shopping for gifts, trying to make my cosplay, excuses etc etc I haven't had much time. Big stuff starts happening in the next chapter, though!

I'd like to quickly thank my lovely Kazuhiko for putting up with my many excuses for not giving her anything to beta, and then quickly editing my chapter for me in a short time space :D. What a darling she is!

Also- Go read 'Training' by my lovely friend _spopococ! _She really has a great fic going, and updates a hell of a lot more than me. Also, this might or might not be a social experiment :D.

And while you're at it, add _Owmyhearteries_ 's fics to your summer (/winter) reading list. Somehow I managed to convince her to upload her AFFnet fics here too, and god are they amazing.

Anyway, I sincerely promise the next (longer, more action packed) chapter will be much, _much _faster. Or you can throw rocks at me.

Anyway, I'm chilling over at rafira (dot) livejournal (dot) com, so gimme a buzz if you pass by my way. I don't bite, I promise! Merry Christmas/Holiday season to all my awesome readers!


	19. Ending Credits, RRROLL!

Mix the 18.

"So."

Cloud barely glanced up as Zack slid onto the bench next to him. The fog of twilight seemed to only accentuate the slightly haunted look in the blonde's eyes, sitting alone on a park bench in the dirt of sector four.

"So," Cloud echoed after a long moment, refusing to meet his companion's eyes. Zack took his chance and reached out to Cloud, reeling him in and holding him close.

"Do you want to talk about it? Because I might talk all the freaking time, but you know I'd stop to listen to you, Cloud. Whatever you want to say, I'll listen," Zack whispered into the embrace, his warm breath causing a gentle flutter of blonde hair.

"I...." Cloud breathed out slowly, leaning slightly back. Zack sensed the deeper emotions battling inside the blonde, a reminder of the melancholy that lurked within the one he loved, along with a depressed and pessimistic side rarely seen these days.

"I know you'll listen, Zack. ...but would you wait? I just need to... get things straight for myself."

"Cloud, I want to help! You know I do!"

"I know, Zack. You always want to help. But you've got to let me help myself for once, okay?" he sluggishly pulled out of the comfort of Zack's arms and warm body. "I'm getting stronger, Zack. I feel... better. About everything. Did you know Sephiroth investigated my trainer? It turns out that the teaching method he was using was hardly benefiting anyone." Ignoring Zack's stunned look at this nugget of information, Cloud continued. "He helped the instructor realize that, and also took a few hours to go over what I was supposed to be learning. And do you know what? I could do it! I was good at it! I win practically all my spars now! I'm.. I'm strong. I'm a soldier. I'm in the freaking army. I can defend myself, fight back. It's a_ good_ feeling."

And Zack was slowly realizing it, understanding the great moods that Cloud was sometimes in despite bruises peppering his body, and feeling the strong, firm grip of Cloud's hands on his shoulders. Despite that, the younger man was shaking.

"But my childhood, and Nibelheim... I want to tell you guys, but I'm just not strong enough for that yet. It's dumb, I probably had a pretty good childhood in the eyes of someone else... but it was hard for me. It... hurts. Please, Zack, wait. I know it's hard for you" (Zack made a soft noise of protest at this)," but wait for me to work through this."

Reading the expression on Cloud's face correctly, Zack slid back in close to hold him again.

"Of course I'll wait. You just need to ask baby, I'd do anything for you." Lifting up a spike, Zack pressed a kiss against Cloud's chilled forehead.

"Then don't call me baby," Cloud snickered back, elbowing Zack lightly. And he settled back against Zack {as the strong but lithe cadet he was {do you really need this part? It seems a bit long winded though I love the description. Maybe you could have Zack tracing the shoulders and feeling the lithe strength in the compact cadet or something?} . And Zack happily took him into his arms, tracing strong shoulder muscles though the blonde's shirt with his own calloused fingers. They might have stayed on the dirty bench for more than an hour but what of it? And if, by the time they headed back to Sephiroth's apartment on the plate, snow had started falling would anyone blame them for sneaking snowballs into the house and subsequently down the back of Sephiroth's jacket, would anyone blame them? Well certainly someone would, but as the General of the world's strongest army brushed snow from his jacket onto the towels he had gotten for his companions, he watched the laughing faces of the ones he loved and thought that maybe he wouldn't hold it against them.

Or maybe he'd just think up more creative punishments.

SONG

Managing to capture a handful of the fluffy blonde locks tickling his sweaty neck, Cloud pulled them into a ponytail with the elastic he had stolen off Zack's nightstand. Opposite him, Tyler took a big swig of water out of his bottle amid desperate gasps for air.

"Fuck! God, you're tough!" he panted, bending over for a second. Cloud looked up at him over the towel he was using to wipe his sweaty face and grinned tiredly.

"You're no pushover yourself," Cloud conceded. He collapsed on the low wooden bench on the edge of the gym, sighing as Tyler did the same. "Are you topping the class yet?"

"I think you're about to overtake me," the other blonde admitted. "I have to say I'm impressed, Strife. I used to think you were nothing more than some lapdog of that Fair guy, but I haven't seen him around you for ages. Finally decided to find your own way, huh?"

"We had a bit of a fight, I guess. But... everything's fine now. It's good." Cloud smiled shyly, eyes cast downwards. He mulled over that while stretching his legs out silently, unaware of the expression on his companion's face.

"...you're fucking him, aren't you." The words were deadpan.

"What?" Cloud blinked up dazedly. A storm raged on Tyler's face.

"Goddamn. GODDAMN!" Tyler leapt from his seat, facing Cloud with an accusatory glare. "Fuck you, Strife! I respected you! I respected you for getting somewhere on your own. I thought you had finished being that weak kid hiding behind other people! But no, it turns out you're just another cheap whore! FUCK!"

Eyes wide, Cloud shook his head. "No, Tyler, it's nothing like that! I'm trying to get to SOLDIER on my own! Don't you understand? Zack's relationship with me has nothing to do with anything! Him and Seph, they're not helping me at all!"

"Seph? S- Sephiroth?" Tyler's eyes narrowed. "You're fucking the goddamn_ General_? You cheap slut!"

"No!" Cloud stood up as a powerful hand grasped his lapel. "It's n-nnnn-!" Twisting as the fist collided with his mouth, Cloud tasted blood from a split lip and felt the sting of his tongue bitten between his own teeth at the same moment as he flailed his legs, one of them finding the back of Tyler's knee and bringing them both down.

The first hit had sent the first wave of adrenalin barreling through him, and Cloud fought back with the idea of protecting himself. They grappled on the floor, dust and sand sticking to the new sweat which was forming on Cloud's cheeks as he pressed against them in an effort to gain some leverage.

Another of Tyler's heavy blows hit solid cement but the next collided with his torso as the other blonde attempted to escape. Sending a knee into Tyler's stomach, Cloud managed to pull himself free and stumbled backwards, dazed.

"Tyler! I thought... I thought we were friends!" Cloud gasped out. Was this what they'd regressed to? No longer the two having a friendly sparring match or friendly conversation, Cloud felt like he was back to those months that seemed too long ago when Tyler would hunt him down for sport, just to hear the whimpers of one he considered pathetic. But now that it was revealed that Cloud had a relationship with a SOLDIER- two SOLDIERS, Tyler thought he was pathetic again? Did the friendly man he was joking with just a moment ago disappear that fast?

"You know what, Strife? I have been in this company for almost a year now. And do you know what? Every class has at least ten of you little_ cocksucking shits_ that think that getting down on your knees will get you higher on the chain of command than honest work. And fuck, it might work sometimes but at least I still have my fucking pride!"

Cloud panted as he shuffled further from the livid figure. His head pounded and he was woozy from hitting the ground so hard when he and Tyler had fallen, and the blow to his torso was a deep, solid ache. Maybe something was broken? Blood trickled down his lip and pooled on his collarbone. He couldn't see that well, why couldn't he _think _that well? Cloud swayed as he walked backwards more, trying not to fall over as Tyler advanced again. What was he meant to do? His knees hit the back of the bench and something else, a cool feeling against his bare legs as his aggressor moved forwards. A powerful blow was suggested in the coiled muscles as Tyler began to bring his fist forward. Cloud's arms moved to defend himself and there was something in his hand, cutting a line into Tyler's chest, soon welling up with rich scarlet blood that seemed to drip lazily down the edge of the blade, advancing towards his fingers. Did even his blood want to hurt him? And speaking of hurt a fist collided with Cloud's head and the blackness was swirling ink in the corner of his eyes, but growing and spreading like ink does in water and he could hear someone call out but it was too late and Cloud was slumping backwards like a rag doll.

SAOSIN- COLLAPSE

Sephiroth really didn't want to do this. Why had this situation even happened? This type of thing wasn't _supposed _to happen, and it... it wasn't supposed be Cloud.

But there the blonde was, trapped between two commanding officers in Sephiroth's office, shivering violently. Tears ran unabashedly down his cheeks as Cloud sniffled, disturbing the dried blood on his face and causing the red chips of blood to float down slowly, like demented snowflakes. In short, he was a mess. Bruised, bloodied and crying in his gym clothes, standing in disgrace in front of the General of the strongest army in the world.

Sephiroth slowly removed his reading glasses.

"Cadet Strife. Today at 3pm, you attacked another member of the Shinra army with a training sword, is that correct?"

Cloud made a slight lunge towards the man, held back by strong arms at his side. "Is he okay? Oh gods, is Tyler okay?" Cloud gasped out, ignoring his own wounds.

"....He received no lasting injuries. He has already been administered with a Potion, and the accelerated healing rate will ensure no scar tissue is left in three weeks." Sephiroth tried not to look at Cloud too hard. _Just pretend it's someone else. It's not Cloud there_. "Cadet, do you admit to attacking him?"

"Yes." Cloud responded without hesitation. His looked ahead, meeting Sephiroth's gaze but not asking for pity. "I was the one that cut Tyler with that sword."

Sephiroth had to look down at that point, happy for once with the distraction the rulebook in his hands caused. "It is clearly stated in the Shinra rulebook, section four point two one, that any cadet that attacks with a weapon outside of training or a supervised condition is to be ejected from the SOLDIER training program. We understand that you were provoked and attacked by Mr TYLERLAST NAME HERE, but he only used his fis-" Sephiroth glanced up at the interruption, to see Zack burst in, a flustered look on his face that quickly turned to utterly devastated as he took in what was going on, no doubt having been informed earlier but doubting it.

His attention was brought back to what was right in front of him when Cloud spoke.

"I accept the terms of my punishment, General,"

"Haynes, Roley, you can leave now. Thank you for your assistance." Sephiroth quietly dismissed them, and watched as Cloud seemed to slowly sink in mid air without the two's anchorage at his sides. Zack came up behind him and wrapped his arms solidly around Cloud.

Before Cloud covered his face, Sephiroth saw a look of agony on it, and felt a wave of anger rush through him. All Cloud had done was cut an inch into his aggressor, in an act done entirely in self defense, yet here he was not only agonizing over the fact that he had done such a thing, but he was now being stripped of any chance of ever achieving his goal. He didn't deserve this. Not Cloud of all people!

Sephiroth enveloped Cloud in his embrace and allowed his fingers to brush against Zack's solid back, silently asking the other man to lend him the strength to help Cloud through his.

The blonde sagged against him.

"I'm s-so sorry...." Cloud sobbed.

"Sssh. Ssh baby." Zack hummed.

"...ssorry. Sorry. I'm so sorrrr..." he broke off into another round of sobs.

Sephiroth felt one of Zack's hands sneak out of the embrace and return the touch on Sephiroth's shoulder, sliding in underneath the armor.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE- TESTIFY.

Sephiroth had a few moments to mull over his thoughts while Cloud ate, haltingly as it was. He felt a wide range of emotions right now; anger, sorrow, and others he didn't know the name of. He felt it for Cloud, but why for Cloud when he'd expelled that Valkerie boy from Shinra. Was this what 'playing favourites' meant? Or was this simply Sephiroth feeling normal emotions, like Zack wished he would so often?

In any case he was firmly focused on the blonde when the three of them curled up on the bed, offering each other the closeness they all obviously needed.

"I... I want to tell you two about my childhood," Cloud told them. He looked up at them both, strong despite his churning sorrow.

Zack started at that. "Cloud, I thought you said you wanted to wait until you were ready to tell us? Please, only tell us when you want to-"

"I do." Cloud interrupted. "Please, just listen to me. You're the two I love, so I want you to know."

Sephiroth tightened his embrace at that. These were the people he loved.

"I... I probably had a good childhood compared to some people. It's like that saying, don't waste food when there's starving people in Corel... but I haven't experienced any of that. I don't know how to compare the two."

Cloud stopped for a moment, and then nodded to himself and started.

"I guess I should start with my parents. My father is... I don't know who my father is. I don't care. He can't do anything for me, and if he'd cared he'd be there with my mother and I. It's mum who I want to tell you about. I guess the root of the problem is that she didn't love me. Well, it's more like if she remembered who I was, maybe she'd love me, but as it was I don't think she even remembered I existed half the time."

Sitting next to him, Zack gasped. "You mean she didn't know who you were? Was there something wrong with her?"

Cloud shrugged offhandedly. "Some kind of mental illness, I assume. The only doctor at Nibelheim diagnosed it as 'brain rot', but he was an insane fucker that loved to hack off limbs, so I don't place much weight in his opinion,"

Zack's horrified eyes met Sephiroth's. _What the hell happened to medical standards out there in the boondocks?_

"Of course, no-one wants to be friends with the kid whose mum is bonkers. It didn't help that I didn't have a father, either. So in the end... I guess I grew up alone." Cloud looked up. "There you guys have it. I .. don't even know why I was holding it in any more. I guess when I held it inside me it gave me a reason to be angry at the world. But that's silly. Anyway," he sat up straighter. "So now that I'm disqualified from SOLDIER training will I remain an infantryman forever? I guess I could work to rise up the ranks that way, or just stay in the army until I figure out what I want to do next."

_Why... why was he being so calm about it all? _Sephiroth glanced at Zack, confused, only to watch him run his fingers through Cloud's soft hair.

"Cloud, baby? It's okay. We're here for you." He pressed a kiss to Cloud's forehead, and reached up to stroke Sephiroth's cheek before settling onto the bed, pulling Cloud down with him. Sephiroth followed suit slowly, like a sliver of metal being pulled in by Zack's magnet.

"Sssh." Zack crooned, as the first sob wracked Cloud's body. "We'll always be there for you, baby. We love you."

PLACEBO- LADY OF THE FLOWERS.

"A mission?"

"Just to take his mind off things. After all, it isn't the end of the world."

"Cloud said he wanted to become a SOLDIER to prove he could succeed. Now that that's taken away from him, you seem to think that he'll struggle with everyday life?"

"He's just depressed right now, really." A sigh. "He won't leave my apartment willingly. I think he needs this time alone, though a week's enough. We should get him out of there."

"....that's a good idea. Let me just check the- ah."

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"It looks like the only mission that is coming up for the next month is... in Nibelheim."

"....shit. I'd suggest we ditch that and take Cloud on a holiday instead, but if we can get him out there killing monsters I'm sure he'd burn some of his aggression off."

"So..."

"So. Um. Umm....... yeah. Sign us up."

"Okay." A soft tapping of the keyboard. "Interestingly enough, I was requested for this mission. It just seems to be a low level monster problem, so I wonder why...?"

"Maybe the Nibel citizens wanna take pictures of you? Who cares!"

"...Perhaps. But first, Zack-"

"Yeah, muchkin?"

Sephiroth gave the man a look that would make a lesser man wet himself.

"Did you really need to sit on my lap for all of that?"

"Oh Seph baby, I can see through your nasty looks! You can't deny that you love me!"

Sephiroth sighed, and wondered if he could co-conspire with Cloud to banish the man to the couch tonight.

BRIGHTEN- TELEVISION

"Thank you."

"Huh?" Zack glanced at his blonde companion in confusion. "Thanks for what?"

Cloud grinned, despite still being slightly green from the transport. "I know what you're doing here, Zack. I'm not an idiot."

Zack answered back with his trademark smile. "You're far from it, sexy. Trust me." He pulled Cloud close, marinating in the simple act of being close to the blonde.

A noise interrupted them, and both sprang apart so see Sephiroth round the corner of the truck.

"Oh, Seph! I thought you were the driver! God, you scared me!" Zack breathlessly told him, ignoring Cloud's groan.

"No, I believe he is still urinating in the bushes," Sephiroth informed them. By a strange twist of fate the driver selected for this mission was none other than the thug Needle, whose real name was John Mellory and seemed to have calmed down a lot after his gang had been split up. He recognized Cloud, but didn't seem to care. '_That guy?'_ one of his classmates had said when Cloud asked after him,_ 'Yeah, he seems to have mellowed out a lot after finding himself a cute girlfriend down in the slums. Some blonde with big tittays, I hear.'. _

_Good for him!_ Cloud thought optimistically, looking up at the two men standing by his sides and feeling suddenly happy for his situation. In front of him lay Nibelheim like a silver scarab with a single jewel of green sitting at it's peak, but in his eyes it was just a pathetic bug to crush.

Cloud Strife was a new man, stronger and more confident than ever before.

He grasped the hands of both his boyfriends. Looking up at them both, he smiled, untainted by sorrow. He could survive, he could face his past, he would take anything on. After all, the rule book didn't say how long the barring from SOLDIER was for, did it? He could have sworn he saw a footnote that might have mentioned that the standard timeframe was a year....

But for now, they were together. The Strongest man in the world, his Second in Command, and a determined young man from Nibel that was definitely not a kid. Oh, and that man over there peeing in the bushes, too.

And together, they would take anything on.

...

...

...

Recovering the memory seven years down the track, Cloud Strife winced.

[END OF DATA.]

**AN**

Wow. Ended, huh? Hard to believe I've been writing this thing since 2006. It's been fun, though. I wanna thank all you awesome dudes, even if judging by the amount of reviews I got last chapter you did all get sick of me not updating whilst I was dealing with exams.

Still, I feel like this fic has developed with my own development. If you read through it you can see it go from another generic emo!Cloud story to- _hopefully!- _something a little more distinctly me. It's been a journey for me, really.

**Anyway, don't forget those drabbles I'm writing- I'll post them up when I finish them, and also keep your eyes out for **_**Remix**_**, which be a post-game tieup of the whole situation, because I like happy endings okay.**

Anyway, if you need me feel free to PM me, or visit me at rafira . livejournal . com!

Also, Please take a look at the profilesof Kazuhiko and Spopoc! (Read her story, _Training_)

Farewell for now! I hope you enjoyed this final chapter!

Bonus track! This was supposed to be the ending line, but my beta told me to use the other version:

Recovering the memory seven years down the track, Cloud Strife winced at the insane naivety of the whole situation, then wandered off to throw something at Yuffie. Better that than mope.


End file.
